Feb. 22, 2008

EAST MEADOW, N.Y.--Junior Agnes Mago and freshman Cookie McIntyre set school records on the fourth day of the Big East Swimming and Diving Championships at Nassau County Aquatics Center. The women's squad is in fourth place with 308.5 points heading into the final day of competition.

Swimming with the pack until she pulled away in during the breaststroke, Mago (Kecskemet, Hungary/Bolyai Janos/Radford) shattered the 400 IM school record and finished second in the finals with a NCAA `B' qualifying mark of 4:18.70.

"I am very proud of Agnes, and to be coaching such a talent that works through the adversity of a shoulder injury to be at the top form of her life," Head Coach Chuck Knoles said.

Mago previously held the 400 IM record, which she set in December of 2007 at 4:19.73.

Setting a freshman record in the 100 breast, McIntyre (York, Pa./West York Area) recorded a fourth-place finish in the finals tonight. McIntyre improved upon her prelim time, clocking in at a NCAA provisional mark of 1:03.07.

"Cookie has a tenacious trainer and is willing to swim every event for the team," said Knoles. "Her breaststroke has improved from good to very good and we are looking forward to her next three years."

Also improving from prelims, freshman Morgan Speece (Reading, Pa./Wilson) tallied a fourth-place finish on the 3M board with 263.05 points, in her first conference meet.

Senior Brittany Stevens (Peachtree City, Ga./Starr's Mill/Florida State) improved in the finals of the 100 fly when she tied for fourth at 55.74, nearly a half second faster than her prelims time.

Prior to the finals, freshman Kristen McMullan (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) and sophomore Lisa McDonnell (Columbia, Pa./Hempfield) placed 10th and 14th overall in the 100 fly consolation race.

In the finals of the 200 free, junior Stacie Safritt (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley) tied for seventh with a time of 1:51.55, while sophomore Ryann Kishbaugh (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) recorded a 57.30 finish for eighth in the 100 back,.

Freshman Laura Barnes (Pickering, Ont./Dunbarton) swam in the consolation heat of the 100 breast, claiming a 13th overall finish at 1:05.60, while junior Ruth Seiffert (Boothwyn, Pa./Garnet Valley) finished 15th in the consolation heat of the 400 IM.

Pitt's 400 medley relay of Kishbaugh, McIntyre, Stevens and Safritt claimed a fifth-place performance at 3:46.79 in the final event of the night.

The Big East Championships conclude on Saturday with the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, 1650 free, men's 3M diving and the 400 free relay.

Coverage of the Big East Championships can be viewed at www.bigeast.org for a one-time fee of $9.95.