YORK, Pa. – The Gannon University women's swimming and diving team closed night one of the 2023 PSAC Championships with a flourish, earning third place and All-PSAC honors in the 800 freestyle relay. The quartet of Irati Arzalluz (Lasarte-Oria, Spain/Santo Tomas Lizeoa), Isabella Dietz (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Madalyn Myers (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional), and Chenay Date Line (Johannesburg, South Africa/Crawford College Sandton) posted a 7:46.87, just beating Edinboro (7:47.48) to the wall. The finish helped propel the Golden Knights into fourth overall in the team standings to conclude day one.
 
The duo of Myers and Sterre van de Goor (Oss, Netherlands/Sint-Joriscollege) kicked off the evening session in the 1000 freestyle with a pair of quality swims. Myers (seventh place, 10:35.27) and van de Goor (12^th, 10:39.28) set the tone for a successful evening. Date Line (16^th, 10:46.74) also competed in the event.
 
Three Gannon freshman led the way for the Knights in the 200 IM "C" final, all finishing within less than a second of each other. Dietz (18^th place, 2:11.84), Hailey Yurkovich (Elizabeth, Pa.) (19^th, 2:12.08), and Hannah Jacobs (Johannesburg, South Africa) (20^th, 2:12.32) picked up plenty of all-important team points for the squad.

Arrived at the PSAC Championships! Lots of Excitement already as we get the day underway!! pic.twitter.com/xXr1O3eXut

— Kelly Bommer (@kellybommer) February 15, 2023

 
The 50 freestyle also had plenty of Golden Knights involved in the day one finals, with Alexandra Pannemann almost winning the "B" final but logging a 10^th-place 24.30. A trio of Gannon women competed in the "C" final: Nomvula Mjimba (Harare, Zimbabwe/The Wykeham Collegiate) (19^th, 24.53), Leilani Kunf (White Oak, Pa./McKeesport Area) (20^th, 24.70), and Lily Cunningham (Lavista, Neb./Papillion-La Vista) (22^nd, 24.87.)
 
West Chester tops the team standings with 401 points but the race for spots behind them is wide open. Indiana (Pa.) currently sits in second with 190.5 points but is challenged by Bloomsburg (162), Gannon (152), and Clarion (148.5) to round out the top five.

TEAM STANDINGS AFTER NIGHT ONE, THROUGH EVENT 8

1. West Chester 401
2. Indiana University of PA 190.5
3. Bloomsburg  162
4. Gannon 152
5. Clarion 148.5
6. Edinboro 116
7. Millersville 113
8. Shippensburg 108
9. Kutztown 93
10. California 64
11. East Stroudsburg 58

GANNON FINALISTS ON NIGHT ONE
 
Madalyn Myers (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) | 1000 freestyle | 10:35.27 (7^th place)
Sterre van de Goor (Oss, Netherlands/Sint-Joriscollege) | 1000 freestyle | 10:39.28 (12^th place)
Isabella Dietz (Pittsburgh, Pa.) | 200 IM | 2:11.84 "C" final (18^th place)
Hailey Yurkovich (Elizabeth, Pa.) | 200 IM | 2:12.08 "C" final (19^th place)
Hannah Jacobs (Johannesburg, South Africa) | 200 IM | 2:12.32 "C" final (20^th place)
Alex Pannemann (Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa Valley) | 50 free | 24.30 "B" final (10^th place)
Nomvula Mjimba (Harare, Zimbabwe/The Wykeham Collegiate) | 50 free | 24.53 "C" final (19^th place)
Leilani Kunf (White Oak, Pa./McKeesport Area) | 50 free | 24.70 "C" final (20^th place)
Lily Cunningham (Lavista, Neb./Papillion-La Vista) | 50 free | 24.87 "C" final (22^nd place)
Arzalluz/Dietz/Myers/Date Line | 800 free relay | 7:46.87 (3^rd place, ALL-PSAC)