2008-09 Meet Summaries

Nov. 22: Susquehanna 132, Catholic 130
Nov. 15: Susquehanna 108, Elizabethtown 65; Susquehanna 106, Messiah 93
Nov. 14: Susquehanna 87, Dicksinon 118
Nov. 11: Susquehanna 114, Lycoming 84
Nov. 7: Susquehanna 105, Lebanon Valley 81
Oct. 25: Susquehanna 138, Goucher 59

Nov. 22: Susquehanna 132, Catholic 130 Results

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a meet where every finish counted, Susquehanna University's freshman James Strande (Cedar Knolls, N.J./Whippany Park) finished first three times to lead visiting Susquehanna University to a 132–130 win over The Catholic University of America at the Raymond A. DuFour Center swimming pool on Nov. 22.

Strande captured individual wins in the 200-yard backstroke and 400 individual medley with times of 2 minutes, 8.86 seconds and 4:32.82, respectively, and finished second in the 200 freestyle in 1:51.29. He teamed with sophomore Steve Grieb (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan), junior Rob Lombardi (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) and senior Derek Wolf (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) to win the 200 medley relay for Susquehanna (6–1) in 1:45.72.

Grieb also took second in both the 100 and 200 back. He swam the races in 59.01 seconds and 2:11.18, respectively. Lombardi and Wolf both placed second in one individual race. Lombardi was the runner-up in the 100 free with a time of 53.05 seconds, and Wolf touched the wall second in the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.70.

Lombardi also swam a leg on the victory-clinching 400 free relay team that finished second in 3:28.73 in the meet's final event. Sophomores Jeff Kormanik (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) and Bryan Watts (Bethlehem, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) and senior Jeff Gorcyca (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett) rounded out the relay to cap off a great team effort by the Crusaders.

Kormanik had two top-two individual finishes as well, taking the 100 butterfly with a 56.71-seconds finish and placing second in the 50 free with a sprint of 23.84 seconds. Gorcyca won the 200 breaststroke with a 2:22.90 time.

Sophomore Alex Willcox (Dresher, Pa./Upper Dublin) registered three top-two finishes. Willcox won the 200 fly and 1,000 free in 2:05.50 and 10:42.43, respectively, and was the runner-up in the 500 free with a mark of 5:11.72.

Sophomore Colin Sullivan (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) touched first in the 100 breast, just .03 seconds ahead of Wolf.

Nov. 15: Susquehanna 108, Elizabethtown 65; Susquehanna 106, Messiah 93 Results

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. — Freshman James Strande (Cedar Knolls, N.J./Whippany Park) won two individual events to help Susquehanna University (5–1) to victory over host Elizabethtown College (1–5), 108–65, and Messiah College (1–4), 106–93, in a men's swimming tri-meet at Alumni Pool on Nov. 15.

Strande captured first place in both the 100-yard freestyle and 200 individual medley with times of 51.47 seconds and 2 minutes, 8.01 seconds, respectively. He also swam the opening leg on the second-fastest 200 free relay team. Sophomore Jeff Kormanik (Allentown, Pa./William Allen), junior Rob Lombardi (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) and senior Jeff Gorcyca (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett) rounded out the relay, which posted a time of 1:33.79.

Kormanik also won the 100 butterfly in 56.78 seconds, and Lombardi swam the anchor leg of the first-place 200 medley relay alongside sophomore Steve Grieb (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan), senior Rich Brinker (Niantic, Conn./East Lyme) and sophomore Colin Sullivan (Westfield, N.J./Westfield). That team registered a time of 1:46.12.

Grieb also placed second in the 100 fly with a 59.03-seconds time.

Sophomore Alex Willcox (Dresher, Pa./Upper Dublin) touched the wall first in the 1,000 free with a mark of 10:47.99.

Nov. 14: Susquehanna 87, Dickinson 118 Results

SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Freshman James Strande (Cedar Knolls, N.J./Whippany Park) won two individual events to lead Susquehanna University (3–1), but it wasn't enough as visiting Dickinson College (3–0) took a 118–87 decision at the James W. Garrett Sports Complex swimming pool on Nov. 14.

Strande placed first in both the 200-yard freestyle and 200 backstroke with times of 1 minute, 50.47 seconds and 2:03.70, respectively. He also teamed with senior Rich Brinker (Niantic, Conn./East Lyme), junior Rob Lombardi (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) and senior Derek Wolf (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) to place second in the 400 medley relay with a time of 3:49.12.

SU's sophomore Alex Willcox (Dresher, Pa./Upper Dublin) won the 200 butterfly in 2:04.38 and took second in the 1,000 free in 10:40.32.

Sophomore Steve Grieb (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan) and junior Liv Thran (Dalton, Pa./Abington Heights) picked up the other wins for the Crusaders. Grieb won the 200 individual medley in 2:07.57, and Thran edged Willcox in the 1,000 free with a time of 10:38.44.

Senior Jeff Gorcyca (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett) placed second in the 200 breaststroke with a 2:22.83 time.

Next Meet: Saturday, Nov. 15, at Elizabethtown (with Messiah), 1 p.m.

Nov. 11: Susquehanna 114, Lycoming 84 Results

SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Susquehanna University (3–0) men's swimmers notched the fastest times in all but three events on their way to a 114–84 win over visiting Lycoming College (2–2) at the James W. Garrett Sports Complex swimming pool on Nov. 11.

Freshman James Strande (Cedar Knolls, N.J./Whippany Park) was all or part of three wins for Susquehanna. Strande touched the wall first in the 200-yard freestyle in 1 minute, 52.82 seconds and the 100 butterfly in 56.80 seconds and teamed with sophomores Steve Grieb (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan) and Colin Sullivan (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) and junior Rob Lombardi (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) to win the 400 medley relay in 3:51.18.

Grieb also won the 200 individual medley in 2:09.62 and finished second in the 100 backstroke in 59.74 seconds. Sullivan swam the fastest time in the 100 breaststroke with a mark of 1:04.13.

SU's junior Liv Thran (Dalton, Pa./Abington Heights) won two individual events, taking first place in the 500 and 1,000 frees with times of 5:13.69 and 10:49.25, respectively.

Sophomore Jeff Kormanik (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) sprinted to victory in the 50 free with a time of 23.79 seconds and a added a second-place finish in the 100 free with a 52.06-seconds time. Kormanik also anchored the meet's second-fastest 200 free relay team, which posted a time of 1:37.88. Freshman Nate Zmroczek (Leesport, Pa./Schuylkill Valley) and sophomores Mike Petronaci (Verona, N.J./Verona) and Alex Willcox (Dresher, Pa./Upper Dublin) rounded out the relay.

Zmroczek also picked up a pair of second-place individual finishes, finishing just behind Thran in the 500 and 1,000 frees with times of 5:20.93 and 11:07.96, respectively.

Senior Rich Brinker (Niantic, Conn./East Lyme) took first in the 100 back with a time of 58.86 seconds.

Senior Jeff Gorcyca (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett) was the second-fastest swimmer in the 100 breast and 200 IM, with times of 1:04.44 and 2:13.02.

Nov. 7: Susquehanna 105, Lebanon Valley 81 Results

ANNVILLE, Pa. — Visiting Susquehanna University (2–0) men's swimmers notched the fastest times in all but two events on their way to a 105–81 win over Lebanon Valley College (1–3) at the Arnold Sports Center swimming pool on Nov. 7.

Junior Rob Lombardi (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) swam the fastest time in two individual races. Lombardi captured first place in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 26.01 seconds. His time of 58.02 seconds placed first in the 100 free. Lombardi also swam the anchor leg on the second-fastest 400 free relay team. Junior Liv Thran (Dalton, Pa./Abington Heights), sophomore Jeff Kormanik (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) and junior Will Conway (Abingdon, Md./Bel Air) swam the other legs to help post a time of 4 minutes, 3.36 seconds.

Thran won one individual event, taking first-place honors in the 800 free with a time of 9:25.45. He also swam the second-fastest time in the 400 free with a 4:39.38.

Kormanik swam the anchor of the winning 200 medley relay team that notched a time of 1:56.89. Sophomore Steve Grieb (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan), senior Jeff Gorcyca (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett) and senior Rich Brinker (Niantic, Conn./East Lyme) rounded out the relay.

Kormanik also swam the second-fastest time in the 100 backstroke with a 1:09.45.

Conway finished second-best in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:16.22.

Grieb put up the fastest 100 back time, while Gorcyca took second place in both the 50 free and 100 butterfly with times of 26.16 seconds and 1:07.19, respectively.

Sophomore Alex Willcox (Dresher, Pa./Upper Dublin) won the 100 fly in 1:04.49 and took second in the 800 free in 9:26.14.

Freshman James Strande (Cedar Knolls, N.J./Whippany Park) won the 400 individual medley with a time of 5:02.90 and swam a leg on the second-place 200 medley relay team, also comprised of freshman Greg Henkel (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic), sophomore Colin Sullivan (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) and sophomore Bryan Watts (Bethlehem, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic). The team swam a time of 1:57.46.

Henkel's time of 2:11.90 in the 200 free was good for first place, and Sullivan's time of 1:10.85 was fastest in the 100 breast.

Watts tallied runner-up finishes in both the 100 and 200 free with times of 1:00.36 and 2:13.63.

Oct. 25: Susquehanna 138, Goucher 59 Results

SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Susquehanna University (1–0) won nine of 11 events en route to a 138–59 defeat of visiting Goucher College (0–1) at the James W. Garrett Sports Complex swimming pool on Oct. 25.

The Susquehanna 200-yard medley relay team of senior Rich Brinker (Niantic, Conn./East Lyme), senior Jeff Gorcyca (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett), sophomore Joe Scheno (Berwick, Pa./Central Columbia) and sophomore Jeff Kormanik (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) kicked the 2008–09 swimming & diving season off with a splash, winning the event in 1 minute, 43.84 seconds. Close behind, sophomore Steve Grieb (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan), freshman Jordan Bembridge (Queens, N.Y./Peddie School), freshman Greg Henkel (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) and sophomore Bryan Watts (Bethlehem, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) placed second in 1:44.79.

Sophomore Alex Willcox (Dresher, Pa./Upper Dublin) captured the 1,650 freestyle in 18:22.93 while also turning in a second-place finish in the 100 butterfly in 58.95. Junior Liv Thran (Dalton, Pa./Abington Heights) nabbed second in the 1,650 free in 18:43.89 and later claimed the 500 free in 5:21.70. Freshman Nate Zmroczek (Leesport, Pa./Schuylkill Valley) swam second to Thran in the 500 free with a 5:28.94 finish.

Freshman James Strande (Cedar Knolls, N.J./Whippany Park) turned in two individual first-place finishes by winning both the 200 free and 100 backstroke in 1:52.05 and 58.26, respectively. In addition, Strande teamed up with Kormanik, junior Rob Lombardi (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) and Watts to post the fastest time in the 200 free relay at 1:35.98.

Kormanik won the 50 free, grinding out a 23.46-seconds performance. Lombardi finished close behind with a time of 24.04 seconds.

Greib and Brinker went one-two in the 200 individual medley with times of 2:11.34 and 2:13.33, while Gorcyca and Watts mirrored their performances in the 100 free, finishing in 52.94 and 53.63 seconds, respectively.

Scheno cleaned up in the 100 fly, finishing in 55.54 seconds—over three seconds ahead of the closest competitor.

Junior Will Conway (Abingdon, Md./Bel Air) placed second in the 100 breaststroke in 1:07.45.