Emma Santoro was one of five Raiders to receive first team all-league honors.
2/26/2010 2:41:55 PM
CENTER VALLEY, PA (2/26/2010) – Nine Colgate women’s swimmers and divers were named to postseason teams as the Patriot League announced its’ end of season awards, Friday afternoon.
Representing the Raiders on the first team were Erica Derlath (Garden City, N.Y.), Lia Kunnapas (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.), Erin McGraw (Penfield, N.Y.), Caren Guyett (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) and Emma Santoro (Fall River, Mass.). In addition to the first team honorees, Colgate placed four on the all-league second team – Kim Pilka (Great Falls, Va.), Courtney Callahan (White Plains, N.Y.), Kate Murphy (Williamsburg, Va.), and Caitie Curran (Alpharetta, Ga.).
Derlath, McGraw and Kunnapas each claimed an individual title last weekend at the league championships in Annapolis and automatically gained first team all-league accolades. Derlath edged teammate Guyett at the finish to win the crown in the 400 IM (4:18.11). In addition, the sophomore finished second in the 1650 (16:51.08) and fourth in the 500 free (4:55.62). It was the second time she has earned first team all-league honors.
McGraw brought home a first and two second place finishes from an individual standpoint. The junior, who now has been named a first team selection three consecutive years, won her fifth overall league title in the 200 fly (1:59.82) in school record fashion. McGraw then posted her pair of seconds in the 100 fly (54.74) and 200 IM (2:02.05).
In her championship debut, Kunnapas notched three top 10 efforts. She broke a Colgate freshman record in the 200 back (1:59.58) en route to copping her first individual title. Kunnapas later added second-place efforts in the 100 back (56.27) and 10th in the 200 fly (2:05.10).
Guyett picked up three second-place individual finishes on her way to her third-consecutive first team all-league mention. In her runner-up performances, the junior broke the school record in the 500 free (4:50.64); was out touched by Derlath by .04 in the 400 IM (4:18.15) and bowed to McGraw in the 200 fly (2:02.9).
Like Kunnapas, Santoro was impressive in her first Patriot League Championship. The freshman qualified for the “A” final in three events with her best performance coming in the 200 breast (2:20.54) in a third place finish. Santoro also notched a pair of sixth-place efforts in the 200 free (1:54.33) and 100 breast (1:05.38).
Pilka earned second team honors with two top seventh efforts in the diving events. The freshman placed second in the one-meter (250.55) after posting a seventh from the three-meter board (234.05). Callahan, a repeat second team honoree, had two top 10 efforts with a fourth in the 100 breast (1:04.79) and an eighth in the 200 breast (2:23.45). She added an 11th-place effort in the 200 IM (2:08.06). Murphy and Curran, both seniors, closed out their respective careers with league honors as well. Murphy, a three-time all-league selection, posted a fourth in the 100 fly (56.36) , an eighth in the 100 free (52.12) and a 13th in the 200 free (1:54.41). Curran, a four-time all-league recipient, tied for fifth in the 200 breast (2:22.07); finished seventh in the 100 breast (1:06.00) and 13th in the 200 IM (2:08.31).
Colgate, which saw its string of two league titles fan by the wayside in a third-place finish, could return as many as 17 letterwinners for the 2010-2011 season.