Feb. 26, 2009

Center Valley, Pa. - The 2009 Patriot League champion Navy men and Colgate women lead all schools in respective selections to the Patriot League Swimming and Diving All-League Teams, announced on Thursday. The Navy men had 19 All-League selections, while Bucknell placed nine on the men's list. The Colgate women have 13 selections, followed by Navy (10) and Bucknell (eight). Navy had the most overall selections with 29, followed by Bucknell with 17 and Colgate with 15.

On the women's side, Colgate placed 13 student-athletes on the All-League teams, including nine on the first team. The Raiders, which won all five relay events at the title meet, were led by Emily Murphy, Caren Guyett and Erin McGraw, who each earned multiple individual wins at the meet. Murphy won the 200-yard IM and 200 breaststroke and shared the 100 breaststroke title, while Guyett won the 200 butterfly and 400 IM. McGraw is the reigning 100 butterfly and 200 backstroke champion. Beverly Walker also earned First-Team honors as the 100 backstroke champion, as did teammate Ashley Bottger for winning the 100 free. Also joining the First-Team based on individual point totals at the `09 meet are Lisa Marchi, Emily Kelly, Erica Derlath and Caitie Curran. Jenna Daly, Sarah Button, Emily Peck and Courtney Callahan are representing the Raiders on the Second-Team based on point totals.

Navy earned 10 All-League selections after placing second at the Patriot League Championships. Tara Chapmon, the Swimmer of the Meet, headlines the list for Navy after picking up individual titles in the 200, 500 and 1,650 free. Thuy-Mi Dinh earned her selection as the 50 free champion, while Mallory Dietrich made the team based on individual point totals. Second-Team honorees from Navy include Allison Ranzau and Desiree Robison, who each earned second-place finishes at the meet, as well as Natalie Albertson, Sarah Lindberg, Allison Aichele, Tessa Snow and Jennie Spencer, who made the team based on point totals at the League Championship meet.

Third-place finisher Bucknell placed eight student-athletes on the All-League list, including Lauren Russell, Abby Atkinson and Macey Keath as First-Team selections based on point totals. There are five Bison on the Second Team, including Rebecca Bersani, who placed second in one-meter diving, along with Courtney Warren, Molly Goebel, Jamie Chakany and Megan Mongan, who all made the team based on point totals.

American and Army each placed two student-athletes on the All-League Teams. American's Dorothy Isaacs earned First-Team recognition after sharing the 100 breaststroke title with Colgate's Emily Murphy. Isaacs is joined by teammate Alex Wessel, who is a Second-Team selection. Both of Army's All-League selections round out the First Team, with Lindsey Adao sweeping the one- and three-meter diving events on her way to earning Diver of the Meet honors, while Paige Brink moved up to the First-Team based on her point totals at the meet.

Rounding out the Second-Team is Lafayette's lone selection, Marcella Nehrbass, who made the team based on her point performance at the championship meet.

For the men, Navy placed 19 selections on the All-League squads, with 12 of those selections on the First Team. Swimmer of the Meet Adam Meyer, who also made an NCAA A-cut time in the 100 butterfly, and teammate Erik Hunter each tallied three individual victories at the League Championship meet. Meyer is the 200 IM, 100 and 200 butterfly champion, while Hunter is the 500 and 1,650 free and 400 IM champion. The Mids' Mac Anthony and Andrew Hetzner are also First-Team honorees after each winning two individual events. Anthony is the reigning 100 and 200 free titleholder, while Hetzner picked up wins in the 100 and 200 backstroke. Olaf Olson, who picked up Diver of the Meet honors after sweeping both boards last week, is a First-Team selection, along with Billy Vey, Patrick Veltman, Mark Meyer, Dan Warner, Aaron Aiken, Sam Martinette and Jesse Cohen, who all earned their selections based on individual point totals at the meet. Navy's Second-Team lineup includes Alex Oldenkamp, Jon Galinski, Ari Molina and Andrew Utama, all of whom earned second-place victories but not enough points to move up to the First Team. Nathan Durham, Jack Curran and Benjamin Nicholas round out the Navy contingent on the Second Team.

Bucknell has two First-Team All-League selections in Mark Kawczenski and Luke Trafton. Kawczenski won the 50 free, while Trafton moved up to the First Team based on his individual point total. The Bison placed seven student-athletes on the Second Team, including second-place finisher Tom Brown. Dan Fletcher, Nate Frye, Eric Sokolosky, Jon Podniesinski, Brendan Smith and Gonzalo DeLeon also earned enough points to merit Second-Team All-League selections.

Army placed three student-athletes on the All-League teams, including double event winner James McLaughlin. McLaughlin won the 100 and 200 breaststroke at the title meet. Joining McLaughlin on the First Team is Brody Blickle, who made the team based on his individual point total.

Lehigh and Colgate each placed two student-athletes on the All-League teams. The 2009 Patriot League Men's Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year Dan Johnson is a First-Team honoree based on points earned at the meet, while teammate Kevin McGrath's second-place finish earned him a spot on the Second-Team. The Raiders' Tucker Gniewek is a First-Team selection based on his point performance, while Devon Healy racked up enough points to merit Second-Team honors.

American's Matt Pelletier rounds out the All-League teams with a Second-Team selection based on his point total at the League Championship meet.

Each of the Swimming and Diving All-Patriot League Teams consists of 18 student-athletes. First-Team status is automatically awarded to anyone who earns a first-place finish at the championship meet. The remaining first-team slots are filled by student-athletes with the highest remaining individual point totals from the meet. Second-Team status is automatically awarded to anyone who earns a second-place finish, but does not have enough individual points to make the First Team. The remaining Second-Team slots are filled by the student-athletes with the highest remaining individual point totals from the meet.

2009 All-Patriot League Teams

MEN

First-Team All-Patriot League

Erik Hunter, Navy *

Adam Meyer, Navy *

Mark Kawczenski, Bucknell *

Olaf Olson, Navy *

Mac Anthony, Navy *

James McLaughlin, Army *

Andrew Hetzner, Navy *

Billy Vey, Navy ^

Patrick Veltman, Navy ^

Mark Meyer, Navy ^

Dan Warner, Navy ^

Tucker Gniewek, Colgate ^

Aaron Aiken, Navy ^

Dan Johnson, Lehigh ^

Luke Trafton, Bucknell ^

Sam Martinette, Navy ^

Jesse Cohen, Navy ^

Brody Blickle, Army ^

Second-Team All-Patriot League

Alex Oldenkamp, Navy **

Jon Galinski, Navy **

Ari Molina, Navy **

Tom Brown, Bucknell **

Andrew Utama, Navy **

Kevin McGrath, Lehigh **

Kyle Newman, Army ^^

Nathan Durham, Navy ^^

Dan Fletcher, Bucknell ^^

Nate Frye, Bucknell ^^

Jack Curran, Navy ^^

Eric Sokolosky, Bucknell ^^

Matt Pelletier, American ^^

Jon Podniesinski, Bucknell ^^

Devon Healy, Colgate ^^

Brendan Smith, Bucknell ^^

Benjamin Nicholas, Navy ^^

Gonzalo DeLeon, Bucknell ^^

WOMEN

First-Team All-Patriot League

Tara Chapmon, Navy *

Emily Murphy, Colgate *

Thuy-Mi Dinh, Navy *

Caren Guyett, Colgate *

Erin McGraw, Colgate *

Dorothy Isaacs, American *

Beverly Walker, Colgate *

Lindsey Adao, Army *

Ashley Bottger, Colgate *

Lisa Marchi, Colgate ^

Lauren Russell, Bucknell ^

Mallory Dietrich, Navy ^

Abby Atkinson, Bucknell ^

Emily Kelly, Colgate ^

Paige Brink, Army ^

Erica Derlath, Colgate ^

Macey Keath, Bucknell ^

Caitie Curran, Colgate ^

Second-Team All-Patriot League

Allison Ranzau, Navy **

Rebecca Bersani, Bucknell **

Desiree Robison, Navy **

Courtney Warren, Bucknell ^^

Natalie Albertson, Navy ^^

Jenna Daly, Colgate ^^

Molly Goebel, Bucknell ^^

Jamie Chakany, Bucknell ^^

Sarah Button, Colgate ^^

Alex Wessel, American ^^

Emily Peck, Colgate ^^

Sarah Lindberg, Navy ^^

Allison Aichele, Navy ^^

Tessa Snow, Navy ^^

Courtney Callahan, Colgate ^^

Megan Mongan, Bucknell ^^

Jennie Spencer, Navy ^^

Marcella Nehrbass, Lafayette ^^

* - First-place finish in one or more races

^- Filler based on highest remaining point totals

** - Second-place finish (not enough points to jump to first team)

^^ - Filler based on highest remaining point totals after previous three categories