PSAC Championships preview (PSAC site)  l  Live Results

EAST STROUDSBURG - Senior Ashleigh Podhayny, who ranks in the top eight in the PSAC in three events, leads East Stroudsburg University into the 2016 PSAC Swimming Championships, which will be held Thursday through Sunday at the York YMCA.

Podhayny ranks fourth in the PSAC in the 400 IM (4:37.35), sixth in the 200 IM (2:09.56) and sixth in the 200 back (2:08.28) entering the conference meet.  She is also 12th in the 200 free (1:55.89) and 18th in the 100 back (1:00.36).

Podhayny was seventh in the 400 IM last year in 4:35.18, one of her six current school records. She was also 10th in the 200 IM, 11th in the 200 back and 13th in the 100 back.

Three other Warriors have times that rank in the top 16 in the conference during the regular season - sophomore Kate Zimmerman in the 400 IM (10th - 4:44.72), 100 breast (12th - 1:07.43) and 200 breast (13th - 2:28.01), senior Cyndi Kline in the 1650 free (13th - 18:36.98) and senior Sophie Coy in the 200 breast (14th - 2:28.40).

The top eight finishers in the prelims in each event will advance to the championship finals, with the next eight qualifying for the consolation final.

Zimmerman was a consolation finalist in the 100 breast (10th), 200 IM (16th) and 400 IM (16th) as a freshman. Coy was 12th in the 100 breast and 14th in the 200 breast last year.

ESU has had five swimmers reach a championship final in the last 10 years in Christine Swiker (5 events spanning 2009 and 2010), Sami Vavra (100 breast in 2012 and 2013), Kimberly Lawson (100 fly in 2013), Allison Schafer (1000 free in 2014) and Podhayny (400 IM in 2015).

ESU has finished ninth in the PSAC the last three years, its best finishes since placing sixth in 2001 and 2002. ESU's last PSAC individual champion was Cathy Crigler (50 free, 50 fly) in 1979, and the Warriors' top recent finish was a third-place swim from Natalie Weingartner (100 back) in 2004.

The Warriors have 10 athletes who have hit PSAC qualifying times this year - seniors Ashleigh Podhayny, Sophie Coy, Cyndi Kline and Alexandra Woytko, juniors Kelly Buyaskas and Kaitlyn Casciole and sophomores Allison Cardow, Annie Fagan, Shirley Samson and Kate Zimmerman.

Two current Warriors hold school records - Coy (200 breast - 2:24.59 in 2013) and Podhayny in the 200 free (1:55.89), 100 back (58.68), 200 back (2:06.52), 100 IM (1:00.54), 200 IM (2:08.38) and 400 IM (4:35.18).


ESU's 2016 PSAC qualifiers are listed below:
 
Ashleigh Podhayny (SR)
50 Free - 25.79
200 Free - 1:55.89 [School Record]
100 Back - 1:01.19
200 Back - 2:08.28
100 Breast - 1:08.64 [ESU #6 time]
200 IM - 2:09.56
400 IM - 4:37.35

Sophie Coy (SR)
100 Breast - 1:08.25
200 Breast - 2:28.40
200 IM - 2:17.52
400 IM - 4:59.32

Cyndi Kline (SR)
200 Free - 2:00.91
500 Free - 5:21.72
1650 Free - 18:36.98

Alexandra Woytko (SR)
50 Free - 25.48
100 Free - 55.42
200 Free - 2:00.50

Kelly Buyaskas (JR)
50 Free - 25.37
100 Free - 55.60
100 Breast - 1:09.92

Kaitlyn Casciole (JR)
100 Back - 1:03.08

Allison Cardow (SO)
100 Fly - 1:00.42 [ESU #5 time]
200 Fly - 2:16.54 [ESU #5 time]
200 Back - 2:15.52 [ESU #8 time]
200 IM - 2:14.00 [ESU #8 time]

Annie Fagan (SO)
50 Free - 24.77 [ESU #4 time]
100 Free - 54.66
100 Fly - 1:01.85

Shirley Samson (SO)
100 Breast - 1:10.91
200 Breast - 2:33.68

Kate Zimmerman (SO)
100 Breast - 1:07.43
200 Breast - 2:28.01
200 IM - 2:13.56
400 IM - 4:44.72 [ESU #4 time]