2026 MERC Chargers Mid Season Invitational
- June 26-28, 2026
- Mercersburg, PA
- LCM
- Results
After a tremendous short course season, Ava Buhrman is continuing to swim fast on long courses.
The 15-year-old Cumberland Valley Aquatic Club member won seven events at the MERC Chargers Mid Season Invitational, setting personal bests in six of them.
Buhrman set new lifetime bests to win the 50 free (26.55), 200 free (2:03.63), 200 back (2:17.15), 50 fly (28.71), 200 fly (2:25.10) and 200 IM (2:16.61).
Among 15-year-old girls’ this season, Buhrman ranks 2nd in the 200 IM, 9th in the 200 free, 11th in the 200 back and 17th in the 50 free.
Her time in the 200 free was more than three seconds under her previous personal best of 2:06.81, set last summer, while her time in the 200 back was more than five seconds better than her previous best of 2:22.79 set just two weeks earlier. In the 200 IM, she dropped nearly a second and a half off her previous best of 2:18.00 set in May.
Buhrman also captured the 50 breast in a time of 33.96.
Other individual standouts were:
- In the boys’ competition, incoming Indiana freshman Matt Krause won five events, most notably swimming personal bests to take the 100 free (52.28), 100 back (55.32), 100 fly (54.92) and the 50 fly (25.46). Krause also captured the 50 back in 26.12.
- Sydney LaBaugh, a 17-year-old for Parkland Swimming Club who has committed to LSU, won the girls’ 50 back in 30.84 and was 2nd in the 50 free (27.54), 200 free (2:10.09) and 100 fly (1:04.51). Her time in the 50 free was a personal best.
- Ryan Whitlock, a 14-year-old for Phoenixville Branch YMCA, won the boys’ 400 free in a personal best 4:23.68 and the 200 free in a time of 2:22.79. He also was 2nd in the 200 free (2:04.72) and 3rd in both the 100 free (58.98) and 100 back (1:06.55), all in personal best times.
- Addison Buckman, a James Madison commit swimming for Cumberland Valley Aquatic Club, won the 100 fly in 1:03.31 and was 2nd in both the 100 back (1:06.12) and the 50 fly (28.57).
- Daniel Gordon, a former swimmer at Florida swimming for the Central Bucks Region YMCA, captured the 50 free in 29.75 and the 50 breast in 39.10. He also swam personal bests in the 100 free (1:05.69) and 100 fly (1:13.26) taking 3rd in both events.
