Saturday, November 21, 2009

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Westminster College men's and women's swimming and diving teams absorbed their first dual meet losses of the season at home Saturday against the College of Wooster. The Titan men (3-1) suffered a 153-143 loss and the Titan women (4-1) lost 169-128.

Both Westminster teams won six events, including the Titan men winning the 400-yard relay (3:17.09).

Senior Brett Gerthoffer (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler), who swam a leg on the winning relay, won three individual events by capturing the 100 (49.19) 200 (1:47.09) and 500 (5:00.70) freestyle races. Classmate Ben Gutmann (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) also won the 100 (1:00.85) and 200 (2:14.74) breaststrokes.

Sophomore Caitlin Lehberger (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington) starred for the Titan women with wins in the 50 freestyle (25.03), 200 IM (2:11.86) and 200 breaststroke (2:27.82). The other winners for the Titan women included senior Emily Dressler (Hummelstown, Pa./Mount Calvary Christian) in the 1,000 freestyle (11:02.58), junior Courtney Herdt (Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls) in the 100 breaststroke (1:08.34) and freshman Abby Gardner (Medina, Ohio/Medina) in the 1-meter diving (158.9).

Westminster returns to action at the Wooster Invitational Dec. 3-5.

About Westminster College...
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is a top tier liberal arts college and a national leader in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Guide to America's Best Colleges. Westminster ranked third among liberal arts colleges in social mobility, according to the Washington Monthly College Guide, and is one of the most affordable national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania. Westminster is also honored as one of "The Best 371 Colleges" and "Best in the Northeast" by The Princeton Review, and is named to the President's Honor Roll for excellence in service learning.

Nearly 1,600 undergraduate and graduate students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty while choosing from 41 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa., campus. Visit www.westminster.edu/advantage to view "Advantage: Westminster" A Strategic Plan 2010-2020.