WSWIM2-22-01

ESU Swimming in PSAC Championships

WEST CHESTER – Senior Donna Gebhard finished fourth in the 50-yard freestyle in a career-best time of 24.96 and helped East Stroudsburg University to fourth place in the 200-yard freestyle relay in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Swimming Championships Thursday night at West Chester University.

Gebhard’s finish was the best by an ESU swimmer in the conference meet in 13 years since Katie Jordan placed fourth in the 200-yard backstroke in 1988. The Warriors haven’t had a better PSAC relay finish since a 200-yard freestyle team was third in 1987.

The senior from Spring City made the finals with the fifth best time in the qualifying heats of 25.13, which was her best ever. She then bettered that in the finals as he broke 25 seconds for the first time.

The Warriors had two other place-winners in the 50-yard freestyle with Erin Kowalik 10th in 25.46 and Karen Scott 12th in 25.75.

Gebhard, Kowalik and Scott then combined with Natalie Harbold on the 200 freestyle relay team which finished in a season-best time of 1:38.89.

ESU also placed sixth in the 400-yard medley relay in a school-record 4:08.02 with a team of Heather Clouser, Mikaela Thorne, Jamie Miller and Kowalik. The old mark ws 4:12.55 set earlier this season.

In the team standings, the Warriors were sixth of 12 schools after the first day of the three-day meet with 55 points. Host West Chester led the field with 186 followed by Clarion 115, Shippensburg 71, IUP 65 and Bloomsburg 64. Also entered are Kutztown 27, Edinboro, Mansfield and Millersville all 16, Lock Haven 14 and Slippery Rock 4.

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