ESU Swimming/PSAC Championships

WEST CHESTER - Backstroker Heather Clouser smashed another school record as East Stroudsburg University placed sixth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Women's Swimming Championships Saturday, its highest finish in 14 years.

The Warriors scored 126 points, 51 more than they did in 2000 when they were ninth. It was the ESU's best performance in the PSAC meet since the 1987 team placed fourth.

Clouser smashed the school record in placing tenth in the 200-yard backstroke in 2:12.76. She had set a school mark of 1:01.85 in the 100-yard backstroke in which she was ninth Friday.

The Warriors had two other individual place-winners Saturday, giving Coach Lisa Pizzuto nine place-winners in the meet, compared to two last year.

Jamie Miller finished eighth in the 200-yard butterfly in 2:15.71. She had been seventh in the 100 fly earlier in the meet. Erin Kowalik was tenth in the 100-yard freestyle in 54.78, matching her finish in the 50 freestyle.

ESU's 400-yard freestyle relay team of Kowalik, Natalie Harbold, Karen Scott and Donna Gebhard was sixth in a season-best time of 3:43.11.

West Chester won its first PSAC women's title with 681 points with Clarion far back in second placedwith 399 1/2 points. Clarion had 24 of the last 25 women's titles, including 23 in a row from 1976-1998.

Shippensburg was third with 252 points followed by Bloomsburg 231 1/2, IUP 217 and ESU. Kutztown 74, Mansfield 63, Millersville 59, Edinboro and Slippery Rock 49 each and Lock Haven 29 completed the 12-team field.

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