NEWVILLE, Pa. -- The Kutztown University women's swim team was victorious in both of its meets, Saturday, capturing the John A. Pidgeon Memorial Invitational during the morning and the PSAC Last Chance Meet during the afternoon at Big Spring High School.
The Golden Bears topped PSAC foes East Stroudsburg, IUP and Lock Haven in both meets, which were contested and scored in a championship format and gave student-athletes ample opportunities to qualify for next month's PSAC Championships.
In the Pidgeon Invitational, freshman
Kara Damico (Brookhaven, Pa./Sun Valley) won the 50-yard freestyle in a PSAC cut time of 25.57, while classmate
Phoebe Armes (Somerset, UK/Millfield School) followed closely in third with a PSAC qualifying time of 25.76.
Camryn Sedora (Chester, Md./Kent Island) posted the top time of 5:33.41 in the 500 free.
KU's 400 free relay team of Damico,
Frannie Pease-Wingenter (Goodyear, Ariz./Millennium), Armes and
Ana Soto (Hamburg, N.J./Vernon Township) placed second in 3:49.48.
The PSAC Last Chance Meet saw the Golden Bears collect four runner-up finishes and a trio of PSAC qualifying times.
Armes and Damico were part of three runner-up finishes each, including both the 200 free and 200 medley relays. Armes finished second in the 200 backstroke with a PSAC cut time (2:15.51) and Damico swam a PSAC cut time of 1:00.58 to take second in the 100 butterfly.
Kutztown's remaining PSAC qualifying time came from Soto in the 100 free (56.26).
The Golden Bears return home to face Lock Haven on Senior Day next Saturday, Jan. 25, at 1 p.m. Following its dual finale, Kutztown will compete at the USMMA Memorial Invitational, Feb. 1, before taking part in the PSAC Championships, Feb. 17-20.
JOHN A. PIDGEON MEMORIAL INVITATIONAL
Saturday, January 18, 2025 | Newville, Pa. | Big Spring High School
KUTZTOWN RESULTS
All distances in yards
400 Medley Relay
3. Kutztown 'A' (Armes, Smaradottir, Damico, Soto), 4:13.63
6. Kutztown 'B' (Czerwinski, Ware, Calistro, Martin), 4:34.74
200 IM
3.
Birta Smaradottir (Mosfellsbær, Iceland/Commercial College of Iceland), 2:22.83
4.
Tatum Rothermel (Halifax, Pa./Halifax), 2:23.53
5.
Jade Ware (Easton, Pa./Wilson Area), 2:23.63
6.
Anaya Ruiz (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley), 2:25.56
8.
Paige Heck (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin), x2:29.92
12.
Jaylin Calistro (Temple, N.H./Contoocook Valley Regional), x2:46.69
500 Freestyle
1.
Camryn Sedora (Chester, Md./Kent Island), 5:33.41
8.
Lorelei Grove (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion), 5:55.59
9.
Paige Heck (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin), 5:57.78
10.
Olivia Bing (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), 5:58.99
100 Backstroke
3.
Ryleigh Czerwinski (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion), 1:03.96
4.
Kara Damico (Brookhaven, Pa./Sun Valley), 1:04.15
10.
Frannie Pease-Wingenter (Goodyear, Ariz./Millennium), 1:09.05
14.
Alexandra Wetzel (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion), 1:14.65
100 Breaststroke
3.
Anaya Ruiz (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley), 1:12.32
7.
Jade Ware (Easton, Pa./Wilson Area), 1:14.15
8.
Birta Smaradottir (Mosfellsbær, Iceland/Commercial College of Iceland), 1:14.23
200 Butterfly
None
50 Freestyle
1.
Kara Damico (Brookhaven, Pa./Sun Valley), 25.57,
PSAC Qualifying
3.
Phoebe Armes (Somerset, UK/Millfield School), 25.76,
PSAC Qualifying
4.
Frannie Pease-Wingenter (Goodyear, Ariz./Millennium), 25.96
5.
Ana Soto (Hamburg, N.J./Vernon Township), 26.08
6.
Ryleigh Czerwinski (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion), x26.51
10.
Camryn Sedora (Chester, Md./Kent Island), x26.89
13.
Jena LaTorres (Allentown, Pa./William Allen), x27.29
17.
Anaya Ruiz (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley), x27.79
18.
Tatum Rothermel (Halifax, Pa./Halifax), x27.81
20.
Ainsley Fischer (Newark, Del./Delaware Military Academy), x28.33
29.
Cora Martin (Mohnton, Pa./Garden Spot), x29.75
31.
Alexandra Wetzel (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion), x30.73
400 Freestyle Relay
2. Kutztown 'A' (Damico, Pease-Wingenter, Armes, Soto), 3:49.48
4. Kutztown 'B' (LaTorres, Smaradottir, Czerwinski, Sedora), 3:56.09
6. Kutztown 'C' (Bing, Fischer, Heck, Martin), x4:07.87
PSAC LAST CHANCE MEET
Saturday, January 18, 2025 | Newville, Pa. | Big Spring High School
KUTZTOWN RESULTS
All distances in yards
200 Freestyle Relay
2. Kutztown 'A' (Damico, Armes, Pease-Wingenter, Soto), 1:41.69
4. Kutztown 'B' (Czerwinski, Ruiz, Sedora, LaTorres), 1:48.05
7. Kutztown 'C' (Martin, Bing, Heck, Fischer), 1:53.94
400 IM
None
100 Butterfly
2.
Kara Damico (Brookhaven, Pa./Sun Valley), 1:00.58,
PSAC Qualifying
9.
Jade Ware (Easton, Pa./Wilson Area), 1:07.12
10.
Tatum Rothermel (Halifax, Pa./Halifax), 1:08.87
11.
Jaylin Calistro (Temple, N.H./Contoocook Valley Regional), 1:11.19
200 Freestyle
6.
Paige Heck (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin), 2:11.18
7.
Ainsley Fischer (Newark, Del./Delaware Military Academy), 2:12.07
8.
Olivia Bing (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), 2:12.26
11.
Cora Martin (Mohnton, Pa./Garden Spot), 2:16.36
12.
Anaya Ruiz (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley), 2:17.07
14.
Alexandra Wetzel (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion), 2:24.47
200 Backstroke
2.
Phoebe Armes (Somerset, UK/Millfield School), 2:15.51,
PSAC Qualifying
4.
Ryleigh Czerwinski (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion), 2:18.74
7.
Jaylin Calistro (Temple, N.H./Contoocook Valley Regional), 2:34.73
200 Breaststroke
4.
Jade Ware (Easton, Pa./Wilson Area), 2:39.53
100 Freestyle
4.
Ana Soto (Hamburg, N.J./Vernon Township), 56.26,
PSAC Qualifying
5.
Ryleigh Czerwinski (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion), 56.66
6.
Camryn Sedora (Chester, Md./Kent Island), 57.29
12.
Birta Smaradottir (Mosfellsbær, Iceland/Commercial College of Iceland), 59.93
13.
Frannie Pease-Wingenter (Goodyear, Ariz./Millennium), 1:00.06
14.
Paige Heck (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin), 1:00.13
15.
Jena LaTorres (Allentown, Pa./William Allen), 1:00.95
17.
Olivia Bing (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), 1:01.76
18.
Tatum Rothermel (Halifax, Pa./Halifax), 1:02.13
19.
Anaya Ruiz (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley), 1:02.64
21.
Cora Martin (Mohnton, Pa./Garden Spot), 1:03.54
22.
Lorelei Grove (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion), 1:03.77
200 Medley Relay
2. Kutztown 'A' (Armes, Rothermel, Damico, Soto), 1:54.27
4. Kutztown 'B' (Czerwinski, Smaradottir, Ware, Pease-Wingenter), 1:59.78
7. Kutztown 'C' (Heck, Ruiz, Calistro, Martin), 2:07.62