UNIVERSITY PARK, Pennsylvania, October 2. Coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history, the Penn State swimming and diving teams host Georgia Tech in the 2014-15 season opener at McCoy Natatorium on Friday at 5 p.m.
The Nittany Lions return after the men’s team finished in 17th place at the NCAA Championships last season, the fifth-best in program history while the squad’s total of 72.5 points is the second most all-time. With its 42-point 18th-place performance, the women’s team turned in the fifth most points and fourth highest finish in school history.
In 2013-14, a total of 20 Penn State program records were broken throughout head coach Tim Murphy’s first season, including nine for the men’s team and 11 for the women’s squad. PSU sent 19 swimmers to the 2014 NCAA Championships. Of the seven men and 12 women who competed at the national meet, 12 received CSCAA (College Swimming Coaches Association of America) honorable mention All-America recognition while sophomores Shane Ryan (Havertown, Pa.) and Alyson Ackman (Montreal, Quebec) claimed first team All-America accolades for their efforts.
Including Ackman, the women’s squad returns six swimmers who earned All-America accolades last season, including senior captain Carolyn Fittin (Sea Girt, N.J.), senior captain Caitlyn Karr (Reading, Pa.), junior Haley Sinatro (West Hartford, Conn.), senior Megan Siverling (Chester Springs, Pa.) and sophomore Katelyn Sowinski (Severna Park, Md.). The squad also returns junior Melissa Rodriguez (Chihuahua, Mexico), who set the Penn State record in the 200 breaststroke last season.
The 2014-15 men’s swimming and diving team welcomes back 10 seniors, including honorable mention All-American and team captain Nate Savoy (Reading, Pa.), who was a member of Penn State’s Big Ten champion 200 freestyle relay team. Ryan, the 2014 Swimmer of the Big Ten Championships, begins his junior campaign after a third place finish in the 50-meter backstroke at the 2014 Phillips 66 National Championships.
Both the women’s and men’s teams are 1-0 all-time against Georgia Tech. The women’s squad picked up a 202.5-93.5 win, while the men’s side beat the Yellow Jackets, 177-121.
Courtney Shealy Hart begins her sixth season as Georgia Tech head coach. Last season, the Yellow Jackets sent three men’s swimmers to the 2014 NCAA National Championships, with Andrew Kosic earning All-America honors in the 50-yard freestyle.
Following the meet with Georgia Tech, Penn State is back in action at the Virginia Tech Challenge on Oct. 18 in Blacksburg, Va.
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