SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. -- Gracie McKee (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) won three individual events and qualified for two events at the PSAC Championships, while newcomer Natasha Sheehy (Tempe, Australia/MLC School) factored into three wins, set two conference meet times and the seventh-fastest 1000-yard freestyle time in school history, Wednesday, as the Kutztown University women's swim team fell at Shippensburg, 131.5-111.5.
 
Despite the dual loss, it was an outstanding season debut for the Maroon and Gold. In her first collegiate race, Sheehy went 10:57.30 in the 1000 free to win the event, qualify for the PSAC meet and move into seventh on KU's all-time top 10. The Australian is the first Golden Bear to crack the top 10 in the 1000 free since Lindsay Brenneman in 2019.
 
Sheehy continued to impress with a victory and PSAC time in the 500 free (5:23.49), before teaming with fellow freshmen Annamarie Rodier (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape), Ana Soto (Hamburg, N.J./Vernon Township) and Frannie Pease-Wingenter (Goodyear, Ariz./Millennium) to close the meet with a win the 200 free relay (1:44.19).
 
McKee picked up right where she left off in 2021-22. The senior holds school records in the 100 butterfly and 200 backstroke and was last year's PSAC silver medalist in the 200 back. Against the Raiders, McKee claimed the 50 back in 27.98, the 100 back in a PSAC qualifying time of 59.48 and the 200 individual medley in a PSAC time of 2:13.52.
 
Head coach Tim Flannery was stoked about the Bears' (0-1) performance all night, especially those of his first-year Golden Bears.
 
Rodier picked up her first win of the evening in the 200 free, going 2:03.03 and followed it up with a victory in the 100 free (56.89). The Mount Laurel, N.J., native just missed PSAC marks in both events, but should be a lock to qualify as the season progresses.
 
Pease-Wingenter led a KU 1-2 in the 50 free, swimming 26 seconds flat to edge teammate Soto by just over one-tenth of a second (26.14). Soto also took second in the 100 free behind Rodier with a 58.35.
 
Lauren Croll (50 breast) and Kristin Gebhard (100 fly) won individual events for Shippensburg (1-0) and were part of the Raiders' victorious 200 medley relay team (1:56.47) along with Sammy Taylor and Alyssa Tomb. Gracie Wetzel (100 breast) and Grace Reagan (50 fly) were also individual winners for the hosts.
 
Kutztown gets back to training for a few weeks before traveling to Cedar Crest, Saturday, Oct. 15.
 

---

SHIPPENSBURG 131.5, KUTZTOWN 111.5
Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022 | Donald N. Miller Pool

KUTZTOWN RESULTS
200 Medley Relay
3. Kutztown 'B' (Alexandra Wetzel (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion), Keara Bedson (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa), Jaylin Calistro (Temple, N.H./Contoocook Valley Regional), Jena LaTorres (Allentown, Pa./William Allen)), 1:58.00
4. Kutztown 'A' (Gracie McKee (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown), Jade Ware (Easton, Pa./Wilson Area), Emily Francisco (East Greenville, Pa./Upper Perkiomen), Frannie Pease-Wingenter (Goodyear, Ariz./Millennium)), 1:58.05
 
1000 Freestyle
1. Natasha Sheehy (Tempe, Australia/MLC School), 10:57.30, PSAC Qualifying, 7th all-time at KU
5. Olivia Bing (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), 12:39.97
 
200 Freestyle
1. Annamarie Rodier (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape), 2:03.03
5. Ainsley Fischer (Newark, Del./Delaware Military Academy), 2:13.74
6. Paige Heck (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin), 2:17.49
 
50 Backstroke
1. Gracie McKee (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown), 27.98
5. Alexandra Wetzel (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion), 34.32
 
50 Breaststroke
4. Jade Ware (Easton, Pa./Wilson Area), 34.89
5. Keara Bedson (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa), 36.35
 
100 Butterfly
3. Emily Francisco (East Greenville, Pa./Upper Perkiomen), 1:08.36
5. Jaylin Calistro (Temple, N.H./Contoocook Valley Regional), 1:13.26
 
50 Freestyle
1. Frannie Pease-Wingenter (Goodyear, Ariz./Millennium), 26.00
2. Ana Soto (Hamburg, N.J./Vernon Township), 26.14
5. Jena LaTorres (Allentown, Pa./William Allen), 27.97
 
100 Freestyle
1. Annamarie Rodier (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape), 56.89
2. Ana Soto (Hamburg, N.J./Vernon Township), 58.35
5. Frannie Pease-Wingenter (Goodyear, Ariz./Millennium), 59.69
 
100 Backstroke
1. Gracie McKee (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown), 59.48, PSAC Qualifying
5. Alexandra Wetzel (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion), 1:14.39
 
100 Breaststroke
4. Jade Ware (Easton, Pa./Wilson Area), 1:16.35
5. Keara Bedson (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa), 1:19.96
6. Jena LaTorres (Allentown, Pa./William Allen), 1:25.06
 
500 Freestyle
1. Natasha Sheehy (Tempe, Australia/MLC School), 5:23.49, PSAC Qualifying
5. Ainsley Fischer (Newark, Del./Delaware Military Academy), 6:01.15
6. Paige Heck (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin), 6:06.16
 
50 Butterfly
3. Emily Francisco (East Greenville, Pa./Upper Perkiomen), 30.74
5. Jaylin Calistro (Temple, N.H./Contoocook Valley Regional), 31.74
6. Bryana Burke (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge), 32.00
 
200 IM
1. Gracie McKee (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown), 2:13.52, PSAC Qualifying
5. Keara Bedson (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa), 2:35.86
6. Bryana Burke (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge), 2:39.46
 
200 Freestyle Relay
1. Kutztown 'A' (Annamarie Rodier (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape), Natasha Sheehy (Tempe, Australia/MLC School), Ana Soto (Hamburg, N.J./Vernon Township), Frannie Pease-Wingenter (Goodyear, Ariz./Millennium)), 1:44.19
5. Kutztown 'B' (Ainsley Fischer (Newark, Del./Delaware Military Academy), Jena LaTorres (Allentown, Pa./William Allen), Paige Heck (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin), Emily Francisco (East Greenville, Pa./Upper Perkiomen)), 1:53.11