Feb. 25, 2007

Strong Finish Lifts YSU to Highest Ever Finish in League Meet

    Chicago -- Five Youngstown State swimmers scored in the 1,650-yard freestyle and three more scored in the 100 free to vault the Penguins into a fifth-place finish at the Horizon League Championships.
    YSU entered the day tied for fifth with Cleveland State but outscored the Vikings 86-52 in the final day to earn its best-ever finish at the league meet.
    Olivia Arnold finished ninth in the 1,650 while Natasha Bray, Erin-Michelle Gordon, Leah Krout and Hilary Barrett also placed in the top 16. Megan Rupe moved into second-place on YSU's all-time list in the 100 free with an eighth-place time of 53.38, and Becky Bertuzzi swam the top time in the consolation final of 53.31. Brittany Senn added a 15th-place time of 54.66.
    Bertuzzi added a personal-best time of 2:13.44 to finish 10th in the 200 fly, and Julia Darling posted a 14th-place time of 2:33.01 in the 200 breast. Bertuzzi also teamed up with Rupe, Senn and Jessica Front to finish fifth in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:36.08, which was the second-fastest in YSU history.
    The final day capped an all-around impressive effort for the Penguins during the championship week.

• Brittany Senn, Megan Rupe, Leigh Bareman and Jessica Front set the school record in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:38.51. The previous record had stood since March 1, 1986.

• Senior Becky Bertuzzi broke a 24-year-old school record in the 200 free with a time of 1:55.11. Bertuzzi also posted career-best times in the 100 free and 200 fly that rank her as the third-fastest in school history in each event.

• Freshman Megan Rupe posted personal-best times in the 50 and 100 free to move into the top five all-time in both events.

• Natasha Bray, Erin-Michelle Gordon, Leah Krout and Hilary Barrett all swam personal-best times in the 1,650 free and all rank in the top eight in school history.

• Freshman Jennifer Johnstone became the third-fastest 100 breast swimmer in school history with her 15th-place time of 1:09.93.

• Natasha Bray and Lara Munro swam personal-best times in the 400 IM that rank in the top 10 all-time.

• Senior diver Cortney Harless finished 12th in the 1-meter and 13th in the 3-meter, which were both the highest in her career.

• 21 new entries were made to YSU's all-time list and swimmers posted 23 personal-best times.