OCTOBER 25, 2013
KING'S SWIM TEAM OPENS SEASON TONIGHT AT MARYWOOD, HOSTING DREW SATURDAY
WILKES-BARRE — The King's College swim team will open the 2013-14 season tonight with a 6:00 p.m. matchup at Marywood University in Scranton. The teams will then make its home debut Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. contest with Drew University in Scandlon Gymnasium.
Follow the Drew match Saturday on LiveStats at the following link: http://departments.kings.edu/swimming.
Fans can follow LiveStats online or on mobile devices. There is also a mobile device app called "Meet Mobile" which is downloadable for free for available for iPhone and Android phones, iPads, and other select mobile devices.
Both women's and men's teams will compete in 12 meets during the season, including King's own second-annual Diamond City Invitational November 23-24.
The Monarch men figure to be a much improved squad this season once a few injured swimmers return tot he line-up. Top returnees include junior Mike Sweeney (Freestyle/Breaststroke), who set a new school record last season in the 1650-free (17:45.45). Also back are senior Justin Weilert (Free/Fly/IM), senior Joe Westcoat (Free/Breast), junior Kyle Newton (Breast/Free/IM), junior Lucas Crock (Breast/Fly/Free), junior Matt Dickson (Breast/Free), senior Nate Lahr (Free), and sophomore Andrew Reimann (Free).
Newton and Reimann also joined Sweeney on school-record setting relay teams in the 800 Free (7:30.10) and in the 200 medley relay (1:43.52).
Newcomers expected to make an impact include freshman Joseph Ciccarelli (Free/Fly/IM), James McLaughlin (Back/Free/IM), and Josh Shoemaker (Breast/IM/Free), Logan Kraus (Breast/Free).
On the women's side, the Lady Monarchs come off an 8-5 season a year ago and return several of the teams top performers. The squad is led by senior Patricia Manning (Breast/IM/Free), a former MAC champion in 2011 and a multi-time MAC place winner. Manning set four individual school-records last season and was part of two other records-setting relay squads. She is joined by fellow senior Erin McLin (Fly/Back) who returns to the program after studying abroad last spring semester. McLin set two individual school-records during the 2012 first semester before leaving the country to study.
Also back are four significant contributors in juniors Caroline Fitch (Free), Macawley Brown (Free/Fly), Chrissy O'Loughlin (Fly/IM/Free), Shannon Johnson (Free/Back/IM), and Caitlin Tracchio (Free). Sophomore Rachel Jonas (Breast/Free) will also score valuable points for the team. Johnson, Brown, and Fitch were also part of school-record relay teams last season.
Five freshman join the program looking to make their mark. They include Brigid Wynn (Free/IM/Back), Katie Fitch (Free), Alexa Lambert (Free/IM/Back), Marybeth Rudy (Breast/Free), and Gabrielle Pellicciotti (Free).
