After winning the PSAC Championship last season, the West Chester University men and women’s swimming teams are off to a hot start once again. After finishing second at the University of Maryland’s Terrapin Cup Invitational, six individuals and one relay team qualified for the NCAA National Championships for the men’s team.
The 400-yard freestyle relay team of Brandon Fanslau, Rod King, Bill Marcum, and Matt Golebiewski qualified for nationals with a time of 3:02.892. Max Bemardes and Chris Salomone also qualified with each posting a 15:55.30 in the 1650 free. Marcum also qualified for NCAAs in the 100 free as he finished in 45.48 seconds. David Smoker posted a 1:52.98 ion the 200 butterfly to also qualify for nationals. With a time of 1:51.53 in the 200 backstroke, Devin Canfield qualified for nationals.
Golebiewski was also honored by the PSAC as the male swimmer of the week, and by CollegeSwimming.com as the national swimmer of the week. He was successful at the Terrapin Cup Invitational as he posted two “A” cut times in the 200 freestyle and 400 medley relays. Golebiewski also won the 500 free, 200 freestyle, and finished sixth in the 100 freestyle.
Five relay teams advanced to the NCAA National Championships for the West Chester women’s team. Sophomore Jackie Borkowski, who was named the PSAC Swimmer of the Week, was a member of five relay teams that qualified for nationals at the Terrapin Cup. She also qualified in five individual events.
Borkowski broke her own school record in the 50 freestyle with a time of 23.68 seconds. In the 100 free, she posted the second fastest time in school history with a time of 51.39 seconds. She also set personal bests in the 200 free and 200 backstroke.
The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams travel to Johns Hopkins after the holiday break on Jan. 18-19. The next home action will take place on Feb. 2 against the Bloomsburg Huskies.
LJ Harrell is a second-year student majoring in business. He can be reached at LH639694@wcupa.edu