LANCASTER, Pa.—Swarthmore College Men's Swimming built a commanding lead in day two of the Centennial Conference Championships in part by winning four gold medals. The Garnet have 511 points, and the next closest team, Gettysburg College, has 399.
Saturday night's finals began with the Garnet setting a new school and Centennial Championship record and earning an NCAA B Cut in the 200-yard medley relay. The Garnet squad of Jeffrey Tse, Alejandro Hernandez, Andrew Steele and Chris Smith won the race by two seconds, recording a time of 1:31.57.
The next Garnet gold came in the 400-yard individual medley as Liam Fitzstevens achieved a B Cut with a time of 4:03.76.
Swarthmore won gold again in the next event, the 100 butterfly. Senior Andrew Steele darted out to a B Cut time of 49.48, a new school record.
The fourth gold came in the final event of the evening, the 800 free relay. Stephen Sekula, Fitzstevens, Michael Lutzker and Chris Smith combined for a time of 6:51.50. Smith anchored with the second fastest 200 time in the event (1:41.91) to help secure the Swarthmore victory.
In each of the three other individual events of the night, Swarthmore had a pair of swimmers finish in the top eight. Smith finished in third in the 200 free with a time of 1:42.18, and Sekula came in sixth with a time of 1:44.29. Next, in the 100 breaststroke, Henry Wilson, swimming in an outer lane, clocked in with a new personal best of 57.23 to take bronze. Hernandez added 15 points by taking fourth in the event with a time of 57.41. Finally, in the 100 back, Tse claimed silver with a time of 50.82. Tse had set a B Cut in the 100 back of 49.35 leading off Friday's 400 medley relay. Charles Yang clocked in at 52.61 to take sixth in the 100 back.
The Garnet return to the pool Sunday at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. seeking the conference title.
Preliminary Results
Finals Results
NCAA DIII B Cuts
•Jeffrey Tse, Alejandro Hernandez, Andrew Steele, Chris Smith; 200 Medley Relay (1:31.57)
•Liam Fitzstevens; 400 IM (4:03.76)
•Liam Fitzstevens; 200 back (1:48.61)
•Andrew Steele; 100 Fly (49.48)
• Jeffrey Tse; 100 Back (49.35)
• Jeffrey Tse; 200 IM (1:51.73)
• Jeffrey Tse, Alejandro Hernandez, Andrew Steele, Liam Fitzstevens; 400 Medley Relay (3:22.19)
• Andrew Steele; 50 Free (20.69)
