Minneapolis — The Penn State men’s swimming team opened the 2011 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships on Thursday at the University of Minnesota with two relays and two individuals competing.
The Nittany Lions opened the three-day competition in the 200 freestyle relay as the team swam a season-best time of 1:19.40, a nearly two-second improvement of its previous best, good for 19th place. Junior Brian Alden (Lansdale, Pa.) led off with a 20.04 opening leg before giving way to Graham Risley (Riverside, Ill.), Sean Grier (Hummelstown, Pa.) and Scott Marino (Scotch Plains, N.J.). Marino closed the relay with a split of 19.65, while Risley posted a 19.70.
Marino returned to the pool in one of his premier events, the 200 IM, finishing 26th in his NCAA debut. The junior IM-specialist swam a time of 1:45.52. Alden competed in the 50 freestyle posting a time of 20.30 and a 52nd-place finish.
In the final event of Thursday afternoon’s preliminaries, the 400 medley relay, Penn State finished in a tie for 17th with Big Ten rival, Indiana. The quartet of Risley, Mitch Scherer (Pottstown, Pa.), Grier and Alden comprised the Nittany Lion squad that swam 3:11.42.
Penn State returns to the U-of-M Aquatic Center on Friday opening with the 200 medley relay. PSU will have Marino (400 IM), Grier (100 fly, 100 back), Alden (200 free), Scherer (100 fly), Risley (100 back) competing in their respective events.