Feb. 14, 2002

2002 Patriot League Championship Release - Day One
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Click here to see the full results from day one.

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - The American men and the Bucknell women hold the Championship lead after the first day of competition at the 2002 Patriot League Swimming & Diving Championships, taking place at Navy's Lejeune Hall through Saturday, February 16.

Three Patriot League Championship meet records were set on the opening day, all by American swimmers. Junior Mark Liscinsky toppled the 200-yd individual medley mark in the preliminaries and re-set the record in the final with a time of 1:48.59. The old record was 1:51.69, set in 1992 by Andrew Rutherfurd of Lafayette. Liscinsky's time also qualifies him for the upcoming NCAA Championship.

Two relay meet records were set by the AU men's and women's 400-yd medley relay teams. The women touched the wall in 3:52.95, breaking Navy's time from the 1999 Championship. The Eagles men posted a time of 3:22.36, edging the old mark of 3:22.49 held by the 1992 Lafayette squad.

The final record-setting performance came in the 500-yd freestyle from American sophomore Ethan Bassett, who posted the meet mark of 4:28.91 in the preliminary round. The sophomore also had a strong performance in the final with a time of 4:30.85, which placed him on the top of the podium.

The host Navy women grabbed took home the title in the first race of the day with a 1:36.61 time in the 200-yd freestyle relay, while the Army men claimed a first-place finish in their version of the event (1:23.38).

Lehigh captured its first crown of the 2002 Championship with a victory in the 500-yd freestyle by senior Lauren Ayres (5:00.57). In the women's 200-yd individual medley, Navy senior Melissa Hawley successfully defended her title with a winning time of 2:06.18.

Defending Diver of the Meet Matt Lofton of Army won the 3-meter diving event for the second-straight year with a score of 437.40.

Rounding out the first day winners are Bucknell sophomore Meghan Freese in the women's 50-yd freestyle (24.10), Lafayette rookie Jakub Pritz in the men's 50-yd free (20.71).