Jan. 14, 2012

WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Bucknell men’s swimming and diving team won the first 11 swimming events en route to a 160.5-134.5 victory over Army Saturday afternoon at Crandall Pool. The victory snapped a two-meet losing streak to the Black Knights as the Bison improved to 6-1 this season, including 4-1 opposite Patriot League opponents.

Bucknell’s 200 medley relay quartet of Taylor Harris, Christian Treat, Trevor Reitz and Eric Sokolosky got the meet off to a good start with a .89-second victory in the first race of the day. Five Bison – Thomas Brown, Mike Nicholson, Matthew Segar, Ben Seketa and Sokolosky – combined for the next 10 wins as they each garnered two gold medals apiece.

Highlights of the meet included Seketa posting the No. 9 time in Bucknell history in the 100 breast, touching the wall in 57.55, .93 seconds ahead of Treat. Brown captured the 200 back by a whopping 2.32 seconds over the runner-up from Army, while Reitz registered a season-best 21.41 en route to a second-place showing behind Sokolosky in the 50 free. Harris also notched a season-best (51.94) in a silver-medal showing in the 100 back.

Seketa was not the only Bison to make adjustments to the record books as fellow freshman Jon Jones finished ninth in the three-meter diving competition, but his score of 255.15 was a personal best and kept him ranked fifth all-time. His previous best of 249.05 had also listed him fifth.

The Bison swam exhibitions in the final two events, the 200 IM and the 400 free relay, otherwise the final margin would have been larger. Nicholson posted the fastest time in the 200 IM and the foursome of Segar, Brown, Reitz and Sokolosky would have won the 400 free relay as well.

Three of Bucknell’s five all-time victories against Army have come since 2007-08. The Bison are 3-2 against the Black Knights during that span.

Bucknell will close out a stretch of three meets in five days on Sunday when it hosts Columbia at 1 p.m. inside Kinney Natatorium.