Conference

Clarion’s DENISE SIMENS and Kutztown’s JACK CRELLIN closed out their regular seasons with multiple-event victories, helping their squads to dual meet victories. In doing so, they become the final selections for the 2008-09 season Athletes of the Week in swimming.

WOMEN’S
Denise Simens – Clarion
Senior
Hollister, Calif. (San Benito)

Over the weekend, Simens helped the Golden Eagles to dual meet victories over Carnegie Mellon, Slippery Rock and California (Pa.), losing only to the home standing Pittsburgh.

Simens claimed victory in each of the three events in which she swam. She won the 100 and 200 breaststroke events in respective times of 1:06.45 and 2:24.87, and was part of the winning 200 medley relay with a time of 1:48.86. Against Pitt, the Golden Eagles claimed six first-place finishes, with Simens accounting for half of those.

On the season, Simens owns the PSAC’s top time in the 100 breast (1:05.09) and ranks second in the 200 breast (2:23.61). Her 100 breast time meets NCAA “A Cut” standards, while the 200 time meets the “B Cut.”

MEN’S
Jack Crellin - Kutztown
Freshman
Pittsburgh (North Allegheny)

Crellin played a huge role in Kutztown’s 141.5 – 120.5 dual win over Rowan, which included a pair of gold medal finishes. He took first in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 55.41 and in the 200 back with a time of 2:00.08. He also picked up some valuable team points by finishing third in the 200 IM and swam a leg of the second-place 200 medley relay. Only a freshman, Crellin currently holds the third fastest times among PSAC athletes in the 100 (53.24) and 200 (1:55.44) back.