SELINSGROVE, Pa. — One year after hosting the Middle Atlantic Conference Swimming Championships for the first time, the Susquehanna University men’s and women’s swimming teams will try to match the standards of last season's squads, which posted the best finishes in the program's respective histories.
The Crusaders will be in action beginning Friday in the 2001 MAC Championships at The University of Scranton's Byron Recreation Center. Action begins daily at 10 a.m. with evening sessions beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Two medal winners from last year's women's team join an impressive set of newcomers in an attempt to match last season's third-place result. On the men’s side, neither of the squad’s conference champions will return, but a solid group of freshmen give the team the talent to repeat last year’s performance.
Under the guidance of 22nd-year head coach Ged Schweikert, the road to the MAC Championship will be more difficult for the Crusader swimmers this season. Albright and Widener are again expected to compete for the conference crown, and Elizabethtown, Drew and the host Royals all topped Susquehanna in dual meet action this year.
MEN’S PREVIEW
The Crusader men are anchored by senior co-captain Sam Frank (Northfield, Conn./Litchfield H.S.), who is seeded eighth in the 100 breaststroke at 1:06.68, 13th in the 200 individual medley at 2:11.59, 16th in the 200 breaststroke at 2:31.40 and 22nd in the 400 individual medley at 4:59.67. He has the team's best time this season in three of the four events and was a part of the season-best 200 medley relay unit.
Freshman Jon Illuzzi (Boothwyn, Pa./Chichester H.S.) should also contend for medal honors at the MAC championships, as he is seeded 10th in the 100 freestyle (51.25), 11th in the 200 backstroke (2:13.01) and 12th in both the 50 freestyle (23.22) and the 100 backstroke (1:00.88). Each of those times are the fastest recorded by a Crusader swimmer this season and are among the top 10 in school history in each event.
Another contender could be freshman Wade Znosko (Natrona Heights, Pa./Highlands H.S.), who is ranked 10th in the 200 freestyle (1:53.94), 12th in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.88), 15th in the 500 freestyle at 5:18.01 and 19th in the 200 individual medley at 2:12.97. His time in the 200 freestyle is the fourth-fastest in school history while his 500 freestyle time is good for fifth place.
Sophomore Jesse Lausch (Ephrata, Pa./Ephrata H.S.) is seeded 18th in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:22.84, is 23rd in the 400 individual medley with a time of 4:59.75 and ranks 26th in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:16.79.
WOMEN’S PREVIEW
Leading the team this year will be sophomore Katie McKeever (Norristown, Pa./Methacton H.S.) and senior Charlotte Murray (Hummelstown, Pa./Hershey H.S.), both medal winners at last year’s championships and school record holders.
McKeever earned the highest seed of any Crusader with the fifth fastest time in the 200-yard breaststroke at 2:35.83. McKeever is also seeded seventh in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:12.20), 11th in the 100-yard butterfly (1:04.60) and 14th in the 200-yard individual medley (2:23.44). On the season, she has the team’s fastest time in each of these events.
Last season, McKeever set three Susquehanna school records at MACs while taking the silver medal in the 100-breast at 1:10.35 and the 200-breast at 2:31.68. Last season she also finished fourth in the 100-butterfly with a record time of 1:02.82.
Murray, a senior co-captain, earned seeds in the 200, 500 and 1,650-freestyle events. This season she has the team’s fastest times in both the 500 and 1,650 with times of 5:42.50 and 11:38.60 respectively. She is seeded 12th in the 1,650-freestyle this season.
Murray swam her way to the bronze in the 1,650-freestyles in 2000 with the team’s season best time of 19:07.83, despite missing the fall semester studying abroad. She holds the school records in the 500, 1,000 and 1,650-freestyles.
The team will miss junior Michelle Badorf (Lancaster, Pa./Penn Manor H.S.), who led the team with three medals at last year’s championships in the 100 and 200-yard backstrokes and the 200-yard IM. She is studying abroad this semester. Looking to help ease the loss of Badorf will be freshman Christina Myers (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield H.S.) who is seeded eighth in the conference in the 100-backstroke with a time of 1:05.38 and ninth in the 200-backstroke with a time of 2:22.97.
Another freshman who may contribute is Tina Graber (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury H.S.), who is seeded 16th in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:24.41and 21st in both the 100 freestyle (:58.58) and the 200 freestyle (2:07.41)
The team will also be counting on its five relay teams to bring in crucial points at the meet. The 400 freestyle relay holds the best chances of medaling, with the unit seeded sixth with a time of 3:57.66.
