Shane Ryan Returns As Penn State Crunches Towson

MEET FACTS

• Complete results
• Hosted by Penn State
• Thursday, October 6
• 25 yards
• Men: Penn State 171, Towson 117
• Women: Penn State 179, Towson 110

The Penn State Nittany Lions roared to blowout wins over visiting Towson Thursday night in both programs’ regular season openers.

It was a homecoming for Shane Ryan, who returns to Penn State this year after taking an Olympic redshirt year last season. Ryan wound up competing for Ireland at the Rio Olympics. He went 4-for-4 in his return, including a 20.49 win in the 50 free and a 44.52 win in the 100 free. Ryan was also even better leading off the 200 free relay to close the meet, going 20.21.

Fellow senior Matt Stasiunas swept the 200 free (1:39.87) and 500 free while rookie Kaelan Freund took both breaststroke wins (56.28 in the 100; 2:05.61 in the 200).

On the women’s side, Penn State got breaststroke wins from Emily Harris (1:04.84/2:19.82) and a pair of wins from freshman Maddie Hart (56.66 in the 100 fly; 56.08 in the 100 back).

Towson did get a men’s butterfly sweep from Jack Saunderson (49.47 in the 100; 1:50.25 in the 200).

Press Releases

Penn State:

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams opened the 2016-17 season with convincing wins, defeating Towson by scores of 171-117 and 179-110, respectively, Thursday at 5 p.m. in McCoy Natatorium.

For the men, the race marked the return of Olympian Shane Ryan, who earned four golds in his first competition for the Nittany Lions since the 2014-15 season. Individually, Ryan won the 50 freestyle in 20.49 seconds and the 100 free in 44.52 seconds – more than 2 seconds faster than the next best finisher. He also anchored the 200 medley relay (1:31.93) to victory to start the meet and he gave the 200 free relay team a healthy start in the finale.

In addition to Ryan, multiple Nittany Lions claimed multiple events.
On the men’s side Senior captain Matt Stasiunas claimed the 200 freestyle in 1:39.87 and the 500 in 4:33.24. Freshman Kaelan Freund won the 100 breaststroke in 56.28, the 200 breast in 2:05.61 and was a member of the winning 200 medley team.

On the women’s side junior Emily Harris won the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.84, the 200 breast in 2:19.82 and led the evening off contributing to a top of the podium finish in the 200 medley relay (1:43.52). FreshmanMaddie Hart had an impressive debut, joining the winning 200 medley effort and also touching first in the 100 butterfly (56.66) and 100 back (56.08).

Another senior with a strong outing was Penn State Homecoming Queen contestant Casey Francis, who won the 1000 free in her lone event in 10:02.33 to lead a Nittany Lion sweep of the podium.

The men’s divers had a solid evening, led by sophomore Hector Garcia Boissier. Garcia posted a score of 319.17 in the 1-meter and 337.5 in the 3-meter to lead both, while Connor Scanlon also cracked 300 with a 306.07 in the 1-meter. Mackenzie Cornell led the women’s divers, with a score of 266.47 in the 3-meter and 241.80 in the 1-meter.

Penn State will next travel to Virginia Tech for another dual meet Saturday, Oct. 15.

Towson:

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Towson University men’s swimming and diving team fell at Penn State University, 171-117 in its season-opener on Thursday evening.

Towson won four events to open its season at the McCoy Natatorium. Jack Saunderson led the Towson effort in the dual meet, winning the 100- and 200-yard butterflies. Stefan Keller won the 400-yard individual medley and the 200-yard freestyle relay also tallied an event victory.

How it Happened

• The 200-yard medley relay team of Zach Bishop, Ryan O’Leary, Saunderson and Nick Essingcombined for a third-place finish with a time of 1:34.43.
• In the 1000-yard freestyle, Towson took fourth through sixth-place. Matt Sieffert timed 9:48.18 for a fourth-place finish. He was followed by Matt Kenney (9:53.36) and Aaron Magazine (9:59.85).
• Will Dougherty led Towson’s effort in the 200-yard freestyle, placing third (1:42.89). Evan Brophytimed 1:46.33 for a fourth-place finish, while Tommy Whitman placed sixth with a time of 1:52.03.
• Noah Pritchard finished third in the 100-yard backstroke, timing 52.61. Bishop finished fifth (52.98) and Owen Robinson timed 53.91 for a sixth-place finish.
• O’Leary placed fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke (58.31) and S. Keller finished fifth (58.87).
• Saunderson won the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:50.25. Richard Keller placed fifth (1:59.71) and Spencer Franklin finished sixth (2:03.95).
• N. Essing was the runner-up in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 21.21. Hunter Wright finished fifth (22.08) and Patrick Hedquist placed sixth (22.82).
• Jake Casey finished fourth in the one-meter diving with a score of 137.47. He also placed fourth in the three-meter dive (126.07).
• N. Essing was also the runner-up in the 100-yard freestlye (47.54). Brophy placed third (49.99) and Whitman finished fourth (51.44).
• Bishop finished second in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 1:53.97. He was followed by Pritchard in third-place (1:58.66) and Robinson in fourth-place (2:00.43).
• S. Keller placed second in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:07.56). O’Leary finished third with a time of 2:12.59.
• Dougherty was the runner-up in the 500-yard freestyle (4:40.56). Sieffert placed third (4:50.28) and Wright finished fourth (4:51.21). Magazine (4:47.79) and Kenney (4:48.50) also swam exhibition in the race.
• Saunderson won the 100-yard butterfly in 49.47. R. Keller finished third (54.63) and Franklin fourth (55.14). Hedquist swam exhibition, timing 54.48.
• S. Keller won the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 4:08.71. Pritchard took second-place (4:16.39) and Sieffert placed third (4:20.77).
• The Tigers won the 200-yard freestyle relay as N. Essing, Saunderson, Wright and Dougherty combined for a time of 1:27.04.

Behind the Numbers

• Aaron Magazine swam a personal-best in the 1000-yard freestyle with a time of 9:59.85.
• Bishop recorded a personal-best in the 100-yard backstroke, timing 52.98. He also timed a personal-best in the 200-yard backstroke (1:53.97).
• S. Keller timed 58.87 in the 100-yard breaststroke, a personal-best.
• Franklin swam a personal-best in the 200-yard butterfly (2:03.95).
• N. Essing recorded a personal-best in the 50-yard freestyle (21.21). He also timed a personal-best in the 100-yard freestyle (47.54).

Up Next

• Towson hosts Georgetown in its home opener on Saturday, Oct. 15. The diving will begin at 10 a.m. at Burdick Pool, followed by swimming events at 1 p.m.