Results (html)

FAIRFAX, VA. - With four more swimmers and divers earning BIG EAST qualifying times, the men's swimming and diving team placed fourth at the Patriot Invitational with a score of 450.5.  The three-day event was held on the campus of George Mason University and featured nine teams.

During the preliminary rounds, junior Michael Oldham (Silver Lake, Oh.) (100 and 200-yard backstroke and 50-yard freestyle), junior Nick Naumann (Middletown, Conn.) (50 and 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly), sophomore Pete Gingeleskie (Bloomfield, N.J.) (100 and 200-yard breaststroke and 500-yard freestyle), and senior P.J. Hughes (Livonia, N.Y.) (1-meter diving) earned qualifying times for the conference championships bring the roster total to 13 (81%).

Junior Kevin Webster (Leawood, Kan.) led the way with four first place times in the finals.  After delivering his first two in the 200 and 400-yard individual medleys with meet record breaking times of 1:49.88 and 3:55.37 respectively, he followed with two more in the 100 and 200-yard backstroke.  Currently, the Kansas native now ranks in the top 10 nationally in the 200-yard IM.

Freshmen Ian Keyser (Petersburg, N.J.) and Ryan O'Shaughnessy (Coral Springs, Fla.) followed Webster's lead with a combined seven point scoring finishes of their own.  O'Shaughnessy finished just behind Webster with a second place time in the 200-yard individual medley and a third place time in the 400-yard individual medley.  After recording another third place time in the 100-yard breaststroke, the Florida native completed his weekend with a first place finish in the 200-yard breaststroke with a USA Short Course National qualifying time.  Keyser, on the other hand, picked up a second place finish in the 1,650-yard freestyle with a BIG EAST qualifying time, a sixth place finish in the 500-yard freestyle, and a 13^th place finish in the 200-yard backstroke.

Senior Stan Sadovski (Brooklyn, N.Y.) also helped the men's team with a third place score in the 50-yard freestyle and a 13^th place finish in the 100-yard butterfly.  Classmate Jason Benson (Overland Park, Kan.) recorded important points with a 12^th place finish the 200-yard freestyle.

Juniors Kenny Pritchard (Castro Valley, Calif.) and John D'Errico (Syosset, N.Y.) also contributed with an 11^th place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke and nine place score in the 200-yard butterfly, respectively, while freshman Austin Acheson (Olathe, Kan.) finished 13^th in the 1,650-yard freestyle and sophomore Matt Holland (Horsham, Pa.) finished 15^th in the 100 and 200-yard freestyle.

The men's swimming and diving team will return to action Tuesday, December 8^th when they travel to Montclair State.  Prior to that, Webster, O'Shaughnessy, D'Errico, Acheson, Sadovski, Pritchard, Holland, and Benson will travel to Federal Way, Wash. to take part in the three-day USA Swimming Short Course Nationals event beginning Thursday, December 3.