YORK, Pa. – Kutztown University women's swimming broke a school record for the second straight day --this time in the 200-yard freestyle relay-- while Tatum Rothermel (Halifax, Pa./Halifax) qualified for the championship final of the 200-yard breaststroke as competition wrapped up at the 2025 PSAC Championships inside the Graham Aquatic Center on Thursday.
 
After Ana Soto (Hamburg, N.J./Vernon Township) took down KU's 29-year-old 50 free record yesterday, she swam the second leg as the 200 free relay team toppled another long-standing record in a time trial swim. Soto was joined by Kara Damico (Brookhaven, Pa./Sun Valley), Phoebe Armes (Somerset, UK/Millfield School) and Frannie Pease-Wingenter (Goodyear, Ariz./Millennium) in recording a 1:36.61 that surpassed the 1:37.19 set by Elizabeth Thoryk, Claudine Gruver, Rachelle Ziegler and Jen Sullivan back in 1997.
 
Rothermel became the first Golden Bear to advance to the championship final (A Final) in an event at the 2025 PSAC Championships. The sophomore from Halifax, Pa., came into the meet seeded 15th in the 200 breast but dropped over a second off her previous career-best with a 2:28.71 to secure the eighth and final spot in the A Final.
 
Rothermel's preliminary time kept her fourth on KU's all-time top 10 and while she didn't move up the list, she closed the gap with an even better 2:26.21 in the finals to finish seventh overall and earn Kutztown 23 points in the team standings.
 
Teammate Birta Smaradottir (Mosfellsbær, Iceland/Commercial College of Iceland) moved from ninth to fifth on the top 10 in the 200 breast with her C Final-qualifying time of 2:29.44. Smaradottir claimed 20th overall with a 2:30.23 in the finals.
 
Annamarie Rodier (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape) posted the fastest-time in the 1,650 freestyle during the morning session with a 17:53.96. After the top eight seeds swam during the evening session, Rodier was credited with ninth (20 pts.). She was one of four point-scorers for KU in the event along with Lorelei Grove (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion) (20th, 5 pts.), Camryn Sedora (Chester, Md./Kent Island) (21st, 4 pts.) and Olivia Bing (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) (23rd, 2 pts.).
 
Soto advanced to the C Final in the 100 free with the 22nd-best qualifying time (53.39) and dropped two-tenths in the finals to take 20th in 53.17.
 
Kutztown closed the meet on a high note with the second-fastest time in school history in the 400 free relay. Soto, Rodier, Damico and Pease-Wingenter teamed up to swim a 3:34.67.
 
The Golden Bears finished 10th in the team standings, accumulating 351 points over the four-day meet.
 

---

2025 PSAC SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
MONDAY, FEB. 17-THURSDAY, FEB. 20
YORK, PA. | GRAHAM AQUATIC CENTER
 
KUTZTOWN RESULTS
All distances in yards

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20
 
TEAM: 10th/12 (351 pts.)
 
PRELIMS
1650 Freestyle (25 competitors)
9. Annamarie Rodier (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape), 17:53.96, 20 pts.
20. Lorelei Grove (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion), 19:09.98, 5 pts.
21. Camryn Sedora (Chester, Md./Kent Island), 19:11.92, 4 pts.
23. Olivia Bing (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), 19:23.20, 2 pts.
 
100 Freestyle (53 competitors)
22. Ana Soto (Hamburg, N.J./Vernon Township), 53.39, C Final Qualifier
37. Kara Damico (Brookhaven, Pa./Sun Valley), 54.41
38. Frannie Pease-Wingenter (Goodyear, Ariz./Millennium), 54.42
52. Jena LaTorres (Allentown, Pa./William Allen), 56.86
 
200 Backstroke (36 competitors)
27. Phoebe Armes (Somerset, UK/Millfield School), 2:14.95
32. Ryleigh Czerwinski (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion), 2:16.64
 
200 Breaststroke (46 competitors)
8. Tatum Rothermel (Halifax, Pa./Halifax), 2:27.54, A Final Qualifier, 4th all-time at KU
17. Birta Smaradottir (Mosfellsbær, Iceland/Commercial College of Iceland), 2:29.44, C Final Qualifier, 5th all-time at KU
35. Jade Ware (Easton, Pa./Wilson Area), 2:34.81
 
FINALS
200 Freestyle Relay Time Trial
Kutztown 'A' (Damico, Soto, Armes, Pease-Wingenter), 1:36.61, 1st all-time at KU
 
1650 Freestyle – Fast Heat
None
 
100 Freestyle
20. Ana Soto (Hamburg, N.J./Vernon Township), 53.17, 5 pts.
 
200 Backstroke
None
 
200 Breaststroke
7. Tatum Rothermel (Halifax, Pa./Halifax), 2:26.21, 23 pts., 4th all-time at KU
20. Birta Smaradottir (Mosfellsbær, Iceland/Commercial College of Iceland), 2:30.23, 5 pts.
 
400 Freestyle Relay (12 teams)
10. Kutztown 'A' (Soto, Rodier, Damico, Pease-Wingenter), 3:34.67, 34 pts., 2nd all-time at KU