KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- In its first taste of dual competition for the 2025-26 season, the Kutztown University men's swim team emerged with four event wins, including a sweep of the distance freestyle races by freshman Andrew Pletz (Allentown, Pa./Parkland), and six PSAC cut times in a 161-97 setback to Shippensburg at the Keystone Natatorium Wednesday evening.

Pletz quickly made a name for himself in his first collegiate meet. The Allentown, Pa., native and Parkland grad cruised to the victory in the 1000-yard freestyle with a PSAC cut time of 10:12.19 that ranks ninth all-time at KU. Classmate Reilly Jones (Levittown, Pa./Pennsbury) was the runner-up at 10:39.34

Later in the meet, Pletz claimed his second event win and PSAC qualifying time in the 500 free (4:57.28). Jones again placed second with a 5:08.79.

Pletz wasn't the only newcomer to make waves for the Golden Bears (0-1, 0-1 PSAC).

Nevin Shaw (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) won the 100 breaststroke with the sixth-fastest time in KU history (1:00.69). He also finished third in the 200 free with a time of 1:48.81, setting PSAC qualifying standards in both events. Shaw teamed with Zach Schurr (Chattanooga, Tenn./McCallie School), RJ Otten (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa) and Matheson Bair (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain) to register a 1:38.49 in the 200 medley relay, which ranks ninth in program history.

Bair followed up his impressive freshman season by winning the 50 free in 21.42 and placing second in the 100 free in 48.20. He established PSAC cut times in each race.

Kutztown will return to training for a few weeks before taking part in the Crimson Hawk Invitational and IUP Sprint Frenzy on Friday, Oct. 10.
 

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SHIPPENSBURG 161, KUTZTOWN 97
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025
Kutztown, Pa. | Keystone Natatorium
 
KUTZTOWN RESULTS
All distances in yards
 
200 Medley Relay
3. Kutztown 'A' (Schurr, Shaw, Otten, Bair), 1:38.49, 9th all-time at KU
5. Kutztown 'B' (Jost, Miksa, Rivera, Clauss), 1:44.20
 
1000 Freestyle
1. Andrew Pletz (Allentown, Pa./Parkland), 10:12.19, PSAC Qualifying, 9th all-time at KU
2. Reilly Jones (Levittown, Pa./Pennsbury), 10:39.34
6. Paul Spear (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland), 11:15.94
 
200 Freestyle
3. Nevin Shaw (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn), 1:48.81, PSAC Qualifying
4. Andrew Pletz (Allentown, Pa./Parkland), 1:52.42
5. Nigel Pizzo (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), 1:53.43
 
50 Backstroke
4. Zach Schurr (Chattanooga, Tenn./McCallie School), 26.60
5. Aaron Jost (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional), 27.29
 
50 Breaststroke
3. Theo Miksa (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East), 28.96
 
100 Butterfly
3. RJ Otten (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa), 54.95
4. Nick Rivera (Red Lion, Pa./Dallastown), 56.15
6. Gabriel Clauss (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown), 58.20
 
50 Freestyle
1. Matheson Bair (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain), 21.42, PSAC Qualifying
5. Nigel Pizzo (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), 23.07
 
100 Freestyle
2. Matheson Bair (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain), 48.20, PSAC Qualifying
3. Nigel Pizzo (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), 51.10
 
100 Backstroke
2. Zach Schurr (Chattanooga, Tenn./McCallie School), 57.34
4. Aaron Jost (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional), 59.10
 
100 Breaststroke
1. Nevin Shaw (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn), 1:00.69, PSAC Qualifying, 6th all-time at KU
3. Theo Miksa (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East), 1:02.71
 
500 Freestyle
1. Andrew Pletz (Allentown, Pa./Parkland), 4:57.28, PSAC Qualifying
2. Reilly Jones (Levittown, Pa./Pennsbury), 5:08.79
 
50 Butterfly
3. Nick Rivera (Red Lion, Pa./Dallastown), 24.93
4. RJ Otten (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa), 25.20
6. Gabriel Clauss (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown), 25.48
 
200 IM
2. Nevin Shaw (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn), 2:04.43
3. RJ Otten (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa), 2:05.62
6. Theo Miksa (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East), 2:11.24
 
200 Freestyle Relay
2. Kutztown 'A' (Bair, Pizzo, Jones, Rivera), 1:30.54
4. Kutztown 'B' (Jost, Pletz, Clauss, Schurr), 1:35.34