YORK, Pa. – The Kutztown University men's swim team set six program top 10 times, including a new school record in the 800-yard freestyle relay, highlighting a strong start to the PSAC Championships at the Graham Aquatic Center, Wednesday.
 
Matheson Bair (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain), Nigel Pizzo (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), Andrew Pletz (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) and Nevin Shaw (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) had the honor of breaking the program's 800 free relay record that stood since 2002. The quartet turned in a 7:01.75, more than three seconds ahead of the former record of 7:04.88, to cap the evening session.
 
Bair became the first Golden Bear of the meet to reach an A Final, doing so in the 50 free. His prelims time of 20.87 ranked sixth among 54 swimmers and moved him into second all-time at KU. The sophomore from Orwigsburg, Pa., just missed out on toppling KU hall of famer Matt Rowan's school record of 20.84, set back in 2004. Bair went on to finish eighth in the finals with a time of 20.95.
 
Shaw twice bettered his personal record in the 200 individual medley en route to a 12th-place finish. He went 1:54.57 in prelims before picking up more time in the finals with a 1:53.92. Shaw entered the day with a best time of 1:55.79 in the event and remained second on the program's all-time top 10 list.
 
Freshman Andrew Pletz (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) dropped more than 11 seconds in the 1,000 free to finish 10th in the event and jump two spots on KU's top 10 to second. His new personal best time of 9:48.43 surpassed the 9:59.99 he swam in a tri-meet with Bloomsburg and Edinboro back in November.
 
Distance free teammates RJ Otten (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa) and Reilly Jones (Levittown, Pa./Pennsbury) also joined the program's top 10 list in the 1,000 free. Otten ranks eighth after turning in a 10:06.48 (20th place) and Jones is ninth following his 10:08.98 (22nd place).
 
Kutztown currently holds sixth in the team standings with 45 points. West Chester leads with 239 points, ahead of Bloomsburg (100), Gannon (99), Clarion (85) and IUP (65).
 
Swimming resumes Thursday morning at 10 a.m. with preliminary heats.
 

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2026 PSAC SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Wednesday-Saturday, February 18-21
York, Pa. | Graham Aquatic Center
 
KUTZTOWN RESULTS
All distances in yards WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18
TEAM: 6th/8 (45 pts.)
 
PRELIMS
200 IM (37 competitors)
13. Nevin Shaw (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn), 1:54.57, B Final Qualifier, 2nd all-time at KU
37. Theo Miksa (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East), 2:05.38
 
50 Freestyle (54 competitors)
6. Matheson Bair (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain), 20.87, A Final Qualifier, 2nd all-time at KU
47. Nigel Pizzo (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), 22.51
 
1000 Freestyle (29 competitors)
20. RJ Otten (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa), 10:06.48, 8th all-time at KU
22. Reilly Jones (Levittown, Pa./Pennsbury), 10:08.98, 9th all-time at KU
26. Paul Spear (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland), 10:27.00
 
50 Freestyle Time Trial (4 competitors)
3. Gabriel Clauss (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown), 23.41
4. Nick Rivera (Red Lion, Pa./Dallastown), 23.51
 
FINALS
200 IM
12. Nevin Shaw (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn), 1:53.92, 5 pts., 2nd all-time at KU
 
50 Freestyle
8. Matheson Bair (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain), 20.95, 11 pts.
 
1000 Freestyle (Top 8 seeds)
10. Andrew Pletz (Allentown, Pa./Parkland), 9:48.43, 7 pts., 2nd all-time at KU
 
800 Freestyle Relay (8 teams)
8. Kutztown 'A' (M. Bair, N. Pizzo, A. Pletz, N. Shaw), 7:01.75, 22 pts., 1st all-time at KU