February 18-20, 2005
Thomas, Relays Lead WAC
at Centennial Championships

LANCASTER, PA -- Washington College freshman Alex Thomas (Towson, MD/Calvert Hall) finished in the top five in two individual events and three Shoremen relays finished in fourth place at this weekend's Centennial Conference Swimming Championships hosted by Franklin & Marshall.

Thomas was fourth in the 100 breaststroke in 1:01.95 after swimming a WC season-best time of 1:01.05 in the preliminaries. He finished fifth in the 200 breaststroke in a WC season-best time of 2:16.59. Thomas also placed ninth in the 200 individual medley in a WC season-best time of 2:02.55.

Freshman Brandon Becker (Jamison, PA/Central Bucks East), sophomore Trevor Carouge (Oxford, MD/Sts. Peter & Paul),Thomas, and sophomore Colin Soper (Towson, MD/Loyola Blakefield) swam a WC season-best time of 1:27.86 to finish fourth in the 200 freestyle relay. Becker, Thomas, Carouge, and Soper were also fourth in the 200 medley relay in a WC season-best time of 1:38.90. Soper, Thomas, Carouge, and sophomore Peter McVaugh (Avondale, PA/McKean) were fourth in the 400 freestyle relay in a WC season-best time of 3:16.96.

Becker added a seventh-place finish in the 50 freestyle, finishing in 22.33 after swimming a WC season-best time of 22.25 in the preliminaries. He also finished eighth in the 100 backstroke in 58.18 after swimming a WC season-best time of 57.17 in the preliminaries.

Senior Ken Jensen (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) finished eighth in the 200 butterfly in a WC season-best time of 2:05.56. Soper placed ninth in the 500 freestyle in a WC season-best time of 4:52.60, while sophomore Lars Kalp (Everett, PA/Mercersburg Academy) was ninth in the 1650 freestyle in 18:50.53.

As a team, the Shoremen finished fifth at the Centennial Conference Championships with 325 points. Franklin & Marshall won the team title, followed by Gettysburg in second and Swarthmore in third.

The following is a list of Shoremen who moved up or into the Shoremen's top 10 fastest swimmers ever in the events listed during the Centennial Conference Championships:
Colin Soper - 500 freestyle (2nd all-time, 4:52.60), 200 freestyle (5th, 1:48.10), 100 freestyle (8th, 49.21).
Alex Thomas - 100 breaststroke (5th, 1:01.05), 200 breaststroke (5th, 2:16.59), 200 individual medley (8th, 2:02.55).
Brandon Becker - 100 backstroke (6th, 57.17), 50 freestyle (9th, 22.25).
Trevor Carouge - 100 butterfly (9th, 54.90).
Michael Manen - 200 breaststroke (10th, 2:27.48).
Peter McVaugh - 100 breaststroke (6th, 1:03.20).