February 20, 2014

Grove City places 15 on All-PAC teams

GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Fifteen members of the Grove City College women's swimming and diving team earned placement on the All-Presidents' Athletic Conference Team as a result of their respective performances at last weekend's James E. Longnecker Invitational/Presidents' Athletic Conference Championships.

Ten of the 15 earned First Team recognition: junior Tori Baker (Fairfax, Va./Robinson), sophomore Megan Bilko (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan), junior Lauren Cassano (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township), sophomore Carolyn Eckendorf (Fairview, Pa./Fairview), freshman Molly Gallant (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park), senior Kaley Hess (Reamstown, Pa./Cocalico), freshman Abby Jank (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington), junior Amy Melnik (Clifton Park, N.Y./Homeschooled), junior Keegan Reed (Greencastle, Pa./James Buchanan) and freshman Megan Smith (Tyler, Texas/Kolbe).

Second Team honors went to senior Janele Baglia (Grove City, Pa./Grove City), freshman Amanda Hutzelmann (Milford, Pa./Homeschooled), freshman Kristi Riesmeyer (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township), freshman Madison Van Dyke (Fleming Island, Fla./Fleming Island) and freshman Bekah Wheat (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern).

Baker won the conference title in the 100 freestyle in 52.85 seconds and also captured the 200 free in 1:54.96. She also took second in the 200 individual medley (1:46.87). Baker contributed to victorious efforts in both the 400 (3:30.78) and 800 (7:42.23) free relays. Both relays provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships. Baker also helped the 400 medley relay to a victorious time of 3:56.09.

Bilko earned the conference's Most Valuable Performer award after earning three individual wins at the championships. She won the 500 (4:58.96), the 400 individual medley (4:28.18) and 1650 (17:08.42) and provisionally qualified in all three events. Bilko also set school records in those three events.

Bilko also competed on Grove City's victorious 400 and 800 free relay teams and the 400 medley relay.

Cassano swept the backstroke events and also won the 200 IM for Grove City. She provisionally qualified for the national meet in the 100 (57.60) and 200 (2:05.32) and added a winning time of 2:08.70 in the 200 individual medley.

Cassano competed on the winning 200 medley relay (1:46.87), the 400 medley relay and the 400 free relay.

Eckendorf posted top four finishes in both diving events at the conference championships and qualified for the regional championship on both boards. Eckendorf placed second in 3-meter diving with an 11-dive score of 464.65 points. Eckendorf also took fourth in 1-meter diving with 422.20 points. She set a new school record in both diving events.

Gallant contributed to Grove City's win in the 200 medley relay. She also took third in the 50 free with a time of 24.42 seconds.

Hess provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 100 breaststroke with a victorious time of 1:05.98. She also earned second in the 200 breaststroke (2:27.46) and competed on both victorious medley relay teams.

Jank competed on both the 400 and 800 free relays, helping those squads provisionally qualify for the national championships. Jank also took second in the 200 free (1:56.65) and fourth in the 100 free (53.80).

Melnik contributed the butterfly leg to Grove City's 200 medley relay victory. She also took sixth in the 100 butterfly (1:00.05).

Reed won the 200 breaststroke in 2:27.43, edging Hess by .03 seconds. Reed also placed third in the 400 IM (4:38.04) and fourth in the 1650 (18:13.80).

Smith competed on Grove City's victorious 800 free relay and earned runner-up honors in the 500 (5:08.02).

Baglia joined Baker, Cassano and Gallant on Grove City's runner-up 200 free relay (1:37.13). Hutzelmann earned third in the 200 butterfly (2:09.50) and fifth in the 100 butterfly (59.81). Riesmeyer captured sixth in the 200 fly (2:15.02) while Van Dyke garnered third in the 200 backstroke (2:08.34) and fourth in the 100 back (59.42). Wheat placed fifth in the 1650 (18:15.52).

The all-conference swimming and diving teams are determined by a formula-based selection process using student-athletes' individual and relay finishes at the conference's annual swimming and diving championships.

Grove City won its unprecedented sixth straight conference title last Saturday night, concluding the three-day event with 854 team points.

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