Wednesday, March 17, 2010

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Sophomore Caitlin Lehberger (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington) became the first-ever Westminster College women's swimmer to earn NCAA Division III All-America honors on Wednesday and the first All-American women's swimmer overall since 1994. Lehberger placed fourth in the 200-yard individual medley with a school-record time of 2:04.15 in the first of four days at the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships, held at the University of Minnesota Aquatics Center.

Lehberger placed eighth in the preliminary earlier in the day Wednesday with a time of 2:05.81 to advance to the finals.

The top-eight finishers attain All-America status. As a freshman last year, Lehberger attained an honorable mention for All-America team by placing as high as ninth in the 100 breaststroke.

The two other Westminster swimmers competing in the NCAA meet on Wednesday also swam in the 200 IM, but they failed to advance out of the preliminary round.

Junior Courtney Herdt (Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls) of the women's team took 46th with a time of 2:15.18, while senior Ben Gutmann (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) of the men's team placed 39th at 1:57.14.

All three Titan swimmers return to action at the NCAA meet in the 100 breaststroke on Friday and the 200 breaststroke on Saturday.

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.