Men's Swimming And Diving Continues Lead At Big East Championships

2/19/2000

Women's team still in fourth place.

PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh men's and women's swimming and diving teams completed the second day of competition at the 2000 Big East Championships yesterday in Long Island, N.Y. The Panther men maintained their lead with 542 points ahead of second-place Notre Dame (360), while Rutgers (317) dropped to third. The Pittsburgh women remained in fourth place (281), but are still trying to make a push for third as they are just 21 points behind Rutgers (302).

The men's team, who claimed championships in three Big East events on day one of the competition, continued to dominate the second day by claiming another relay and individual title. The 200-yard medley relay team of Brian Elko (Denville, N.J./Morris Knolls), Andy Cherep (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum), Patrick Shedlock (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) and Miah Heath (Estes Park, Colo./Estes Park) placed first with a time of 1:30.90 to give Pittsburgh it's third relay championship of the weekend. Elko also placed second in both the 100 backstroke (49.60) and the 100 butterfly (49.14).

Senior Michael Pron (Belle Meade, N.J./Hillsborough) won his second individual career title, placing first in the 400 individual medley in 3:55.80, a provisional qualifying time for the NCAA championships. The last time Pron won a championship was as a freshman in 1997 when he placed first in the 200 breaststroke.

For the women, senior Jamie Tomazich (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) finished third on the one-meter diving board with a score of 433.00. Senior Beth Grube (Drexel Hill, Pa./Upper Darby) placed fourth in the 100 backstroke, while also combining with Nicole Palombo (Warrington, Pa./Central Buck West), Liz Perry (Beaufort, S.C./Ft. Lauderdale) and Katie Hunter (Warren, Pa./Warren) for a fourth-place finish in the 200 medley relay.

The Big East Championships will continue through Saturday.