Date: February 19, 2004
Contact: Brian Laubscher (540) 458-8676
Release: Upon Receipt

NINE W&L SWIMMERS EARN ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
Generals Win Inaugural Bluegrass Mountain Conference Title

LEXINGTON, Va. -- Nine members of the 14th-ranked Washington and Lee men's swimming team received All-Bluegrass Mountain Conference (BMC) honors for their performances at the conference championships this season.

In the conference's first season, the Generals combined for seven event championships, a pair of school records, a conference record and a pool record on their way to the conference crown.

Seniors Eric Ritter (Birmingham, Ala./Mountain Brook), Drew Catanese (Southampton, Mass./Suffield Academy) and Paul Laraia (Houston, Texas/Memorial), junior Chris Colby (Ossining, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac), sophomores Clark Barrineau (Charlotte, N.C./South Mecklenburg) and Reed Evans (Greensboro, N.C./Greensboro Day), and freshmen Michael Ginder (Jacksonville, Fla./Episcopal) and Ben Accinelli (Dubuque, Iowa/Hempstead) were all named to the conference first team.

Ginder highlighted the championships with co-swimmer of the meet honors after winning the 100 Free with an NCAA "B" cut time of 46.42, and taking top honors in the 200 Free with an NCAA “B” cut time and school-record 1:41.61. He also joined Ritter, Accinelli and Catanese with a school record in the 200 Medley Relay (1:36.59).

Ritter claimed a first-place finish and an NCAA "B" cut time in the 100 Back (52.20) and a conference and pool record in the 200 Back with an NCAA "B" cut time (1:52.92). He also joined Ginder, Catanese and Accinelli on the 400 Medley Relay team (3:30.66).

Barrineau rounded out the Generals' event winners with top honors in the 1000 Free (9:48.54) while freshman Kevin Hayes (Mercer Island, Wash./Mercer Island) earned al-conference honors with third in both the 200 IM (1:57.26) and the 400 IM (4:14.14).

The Generals concluded their regular season with a perfect 7-0 dual meet record.

-- GENERALS --