November 30, 2007 - at Princeton's Big Al Invitational - Day One
November 30, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
College Swimming & Diving
Rider at Princeton University’s
‘Big Al’ Invitational
PRINCETON—To be the best, you have to swim and dive against the best. Both the Rider University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams are competing at the ‘Big Al’ Invitational, hosted at Princeton University’s DeNunzio Pool this weekend. "In general, we are really pleased with the level of competition and how it has challenged our athletes to swim well," said head coach Steve Fletcher.
The invitational, hosted by Princeton, the defending Ivy League champion, includes Rider, Brown, Bucknell, Columbia, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Washington State and the host Tigers.
For the Rider women, junior diver Amanda Burke (Churchville, Pa./William Tennent) placed second in the finals of the three-meter (267.55) with junior Priscilla Modrov (Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge) finishing 16th in the finals of the 200 IM (2:09.59).
For the Rider men on Friday, senior diver Dylan Korn (Hawthorne, N.Y./Westlake) placed sixth in the finals of the one-meter dive (265.05) with freshman Drew Modrov (Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge) placing seventh in the finals of the 50 free (21.01).
"The divers are foreshadowing what is to come in the conference meet," Fletcher said. "Both Amanda and Dylan has strong showings against the highest level of competition."
The men’s 200 free relay of Modrov, sophomore Scott Player (Chino Hills, Calif./Ruben S. Ayala), sophomore Brian Brady (Turnersville, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) and senior Peter Starr (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown Area Senior) was seventh in the finals with a time of 1:25.23. Player was also 21st in the 50 free (21.56).
The women's 400 medley relay of sophomore Kellyanne Tomasula (Sussex, N.J./Vernon Township), freshman Carmen Menendez (Fairfax, Va./Oakton), Modrov and senior Stephanie Cosentino (Staten Island, N.Y./Notre Dame Academy) placed 11th with a time of 3:57.41.
"The challenge is to stay mentally focused for the entire meet," Fletcher added. "This meet mirrors the format of the conference championships and to swim against teams from the Big 10, Ivy League champions, this is a huge challenge for our athletes and I'm impressed with the way they have responded."
The men's 'A' 400 medley relay of Starr, senior Matt Bauer (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn), Player and Modrov placed 12th with a time of 3:31.15 with the 'B' 400 medley relay of freshman Ryan Nelthropp (Christiansted, V.I./St. Croix Country Day), freshman Mike Tubb (Swedesboro, N.J./St. Augustine Prep.), freshman Dave Farfan (Houston, Texas/Lamar) and Brady finishing 13th with a time of 3:35.06. Nelthropp was 18th in the 200 IM (1:56.20), Bauer was 26th in the 200 IM (1:58.67) and Farfan was 28th in the 500 free (4:49.55).
Freshman C.J. Kohner (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy Senior) was 26th in the 500 free (4:44.82) and freshman Nick Sakell (Bel Air, Md./Fallston) placed 30th in the 500 free (4:49.83).
Competition continues through Sunday.
-RU-
