CARLISLE, Pa. – Graduate student Gracie McKee (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown) put the finishing touches on one of the top careers in Kutztown University women's swimming history with a bronze medal in the 200-yard backstroke Saturday evening as the 2024 PSAC Championships came to an end. The medal was McKee's seventh in three conference meets as a member of the Golden Bears.
 
McKee was one of four finalists for the Maroon and Gold, Saturday, as Kutztown enjoyed strong performances from its entrants to secure a 10th-place team finish (363 pts.).
 
McKee, the defending 200 back champion, qualified for the A Final with the third-fastest time in preliminary heats, a season-best 2:04.63. The school recorder holder backed that up with another season-best time in the finals, turning in a 2:03.86 to place third.
 
In the 1650 free, Annamarie Rodier (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape) registered the 11th-best time with a 17:55.35.
 
Sophomore Ana Soto (Hamburg, N.J./Vernon Township) made a massive jump from her 22nd-place pre-meet seeding to qualify for the B Final in the 100 freestyle with the 16th-best prelim time. Soto's 53.08 ranked fourth on KU's top 10 list. The Hamburg, N.J., native nearly matched her prelim performance with a 53.13 in the finals to take 16th overall.
 
Tatum Rothermel (Halifax, Pa./Halifax) turned in two season-best times in the 200 breaststroke, going from 10th to fourth on KU's top 10 list in the process. Rothermel outperformed her 22nd-place seeding by setting the 18th-quickest prelim time of 2:30.27, which ranked fifth all-time in program history. The freshman from Halifax, Pa., bettered that time with a 2:28.71 in the finals to record the fourth-best time in team history and place 18th.
 
Jade Ware (Easton, Pa./Wilson Area) also gained significantly in the 200 breast, advancing to the C Final with a season-best 2:32.57 in prelims after being seeded 28th. Ware took 24th overall with a 2:33.34 in the finals.
 
Kutztown closed the meet with the 10th-best 400 free relay time in school history, as Soto, Rodier, Trinity Miller (Mount Pleasant, Pa./Mount Pleasant) and McKee went 3:37.53 to place ninth.
 
West Chester won its third straight PSAC Championship and 17th in the last 18 years with 1,662 points. The Golden Rams were well clear of runner-up IUP (960 pts.). Bloomsburg (833), Clarion (830) and Gannon (696) completed the top five. Shippensburg finished sixth at 631 points, while Millersville (489), Edinboro (405.5), East Stroudsburg (384.5) and Kutztown (363) made up the remainder of the top 10.
 

---

2024 PSAC SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Feb. 17, 2024 | Keystone Aquatic Center | Carlisle, Pa.
 
KUTZTOWN SATURDAY RESULTS
All distances in yards

SATURDAY, FEB. 17
Prelims – 10 a.m.

1650 Freestyle (28 entries)
* Fast heat held during finals session
11. Annamarie Rodier (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape), 17:55.35, 16 pts.

100 Freestyle (50 entries)
16. Ana Soto (Hamburg, N.J./Vernon Township), 53.08, B Final Qualifier, 4th all-time at KU
43. Trinity Miller (Mount Pleasant, Pa./Mount Pleasant), 55.99
45. Frannie Pease-Wingenter (Goodyear, Ariz./Millennium), 56.34
 
200 Backstroke (36 entries)
3. Gracie McKee (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown), 2:04.63, A Final Qualifier
 
200 Breaststroke (38 entries)
18. Tatum Rothermel (Halifax, Pa./Halifax), 2:30.27, C Final Qualifier, 5th all-time at KU
23. Jade Ware (Easton, Pa./Wilson Area), 2:32.57, C Final Qualifier
27. Birta Smaradottir (Mosfellsbær, Iceland/Commercial College of Iceland), 2:33.89
 
Finals – 5 p.m.
 
100 Freestyle B Final (8 entries | 9th-16th)
16. Ana Soto (Hamburg, N.J./Vernon Township), 53.13, 11 pts.
 
200 Backstroke A Final (8 entries | 1st-8th)
3. Gracie McKee (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown), 2:03.86, 27 pts.
 
200 Breaststroke C Final (8 entries | 17th-24th)
18. Tatum Rothermel (Halifax, Pa./Halifax), 2:28.71, 7 pts., 4th all-time at KU
24. Jade Ware (Easton, Pa./Wilson Area), 2:33.34, 1 pt.
 
400 Freestyle Relay (12 teams)
9. Kutztown 'A' (Ana Soto, Annamarie Rodier, Trinity Miller, Gracie McKee), 3:37.53, 40 pts., 10th all-time at KU, SB