WCU Swims to the Top

The following is a press release from the West Chester University Athletic Departmet.

West Chester University’s 200-yard medley relay kicked off the 2012 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Swimming Championships in style by breaking the conference record on the first day of competition at Cumberland Valley High School.
 
Freshman Jared Haley and junior Tommy Rhoads finished first and second, respectively, in the 1000 freestyle as West Chester University jumped out to a big lead after just two events Thursday evening. The Golden Rams accumulated 85 points to head up the seven-team field. Gannon and Edinboro are tied for second with 49 points.
 
West Chester, the odds-on favorite to win their 14th straight PSAC men’s crown and record 25th overall, picked up 40 points for its first-place finish in the 200 medley relay. The team of Calvin Starosta, Dave McCormick, Ryan Stahley and Alex Muraro defended WCU’s conference title with a time of 1 minute, 31.31 seconds which broke the PSAC record and came in under the NCAA ‘B’ qualifying time. The old conference mark (1:31.57) was set by West Chester in 2010. Starosta and Stahley were also members of WCU’s 2011 medley relay team that won this event. Clarion’s medley relay, who also hit a ‘B’ time, finished in 1:33.22 to place second.
 
Haley, competing in his first conference meet, won the PSAC title in the 1000 free by outdueling his teammate. Haley touched the wall in 9:22.98, coming in under the NCAA ‘B’ qualifying time and breaking the meet record set at last season’s championships by Gannon’s Luke Curtis. Rhoads was runner-up for the second straight year, touching out in 9:24.83, but still hitting the ‘B’ qualifying time and surpassing Curtis’ time in 2011. Tommy McMahon and Tyler Adams were 12th and 14th, respectively, scoring points for the Golden Rams as well.
 
Day two of the 2012 PSAC Swimming Championships gets under way Friday morning with the prelims at 10 a.m. followed by the finals at 6 p.m. The championships will continue each day thru Sunday with that very same format.