Tuesday, January 10, 2012

WINTER PARK, Fla. - The Westminster College men's and women's swimming and diving teams each earned nonconference dual meet wins at Division II Rollins College on Tuesday. The women won 113-84 and the men won 109-96

Westminster's dual meet records are 5-1 for the men and 4-2 for the women. Rollins' men are 1-4 and its women are the same.

The Titans won 12 events (7 women, 5 men), not including one event in which Westminster posted a faster time with an exhibition swimmer than Rollin's first-place finisher.

The women's and men's 200 yard medley team earned first-place with times of 1:53.51 and 1:39.85, respectively. The women's team consisted of sophomore Erin Erdley (Meadville, Pa./Cochranton), senior Caitlin Lehberger (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington), senior Sierra Beecher (Newville, Pa./Big Spring), and freshman Marina Rozick (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny). Freshman Jake Pletz (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township), junior Dan Gutmann (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley), junior Alan Nedley (White, Pa./Connellsville), and senior Mark Brooks (Youngstown, Ohio/Boardman) teamed up for the men.

Individually for the women, Lehberger (200 yard IM) and Beecher (200 yard freestyle) placed first with times of 2:10.63 and 2:02.70, respectively. Lehberger also won the 100 yard breast stroke (1:07.46) but it was counted as an exhibition. Freshman Kristy Daubner (Saxonburg, Pa./Knoch) touched first in the 50 yard freestyle (25.48) and 100 yard free style (55.55).

Freshman Ashley Wyland (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) took the 1,000 yard freestyle with a time of 11:01.85 and sophomore Amanda Marlow (Twinsburg, Ohio/Twinsburg) took the 100 yard butterfly at 1:02.04.

For the men individually, senior Mike Barringer (Boardman, Ohio/Boardman) won the 50 yard freestyle (22.43). Nedley won the 100 yard butterfly (52.95) and Brooks took the 100 yard back stroke (54.89). Rounding out the first place finishers for the men was Gutmann in the 100 yard men breast stroke (1:02.13)

Westminster's next dual meet is Saturday (Jan. 21) 1 p.m. as the men and the women will host Carnegie Melon and SUNY Geneseo. The women are back in action this Saturday (Jan. 14) as they host Chatham at 1 p.m.

About Westminster College...
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College ranks first in the nation as "Best College for Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math," according to Forbes.com. Westminster, a top-tier liberal arts college, ranks third in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Best Colleges guide. Westminster ranked 6th 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 376 Colleges" 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 42 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.