Men's Swimming and Diving Sweeps AMCC Awards

ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend men's swimming and diving team swept the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) awards, including all 20 first-team honors, announced on Wednesday.

Dan Simon (Harrison City, PA/Penn-Trafford) was named Co-Swimmer of the Year and Andrew Neder (Erie, PA/Fairview) Diver of the Year. Eric Lasher (Edinboro, PA/General McLane) earned Newcomer of the Year for the Lions and head coach Jen Wallace was selected Co-Coach of the Year for leading the men's squad to their seventh consecutive conference title. Wallace shares the honors with Pitt-Bradford's head coach, Ed Bahan.

Simon was the 50 freestyle, 100 and 200 backstroke champion, breaking the team, AMCC meet and open records in each event for first-team honors. In the 100 backstroke, he swam an NCAA qualifying "B" cut time. He also set the program record in the 50 back with another "B" cut time at the championship meet. Simon was also a part of four winning relays that set numerous records.

Neder was the diving champion in the one meter and three meter to be named Diver of the Year, while Lasher competed in his first conference championship and earned second-team honors in the one-meter diving event.

Javier Solivan (San Juan, Puerto Rico/UHS) and Clay Altemose (Apollo, PA/Apollo-Ridge) were named All-Conference six times. Solivan recorded six first-place finishes, including three individual victories while breaking 12 records. Solivan and Altemose swam on three winning relays together, two of which broke all three records. Altemose also was on the 200 free relay that broke records and was also champion in the 100 and 200 butterfly events for first-team accolades. His second-team honor was in the 100 backstroke.

Justin Pritchard (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) was selected to the first team in five events.  He was the individual champion in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, and swam on three winning relays. Everett Sargent (Gibsonia, PA/Pine-Richland) claimed first-team honors in three relays, while earning second-team honors in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.

Brian Mong (Franklin, PA/Franklin) led Behrend in the 400 IM and 500 freestyle for individual conference recognition on the first team. He also was a member of the winning 800 free relay and was a second-team choice in the 1650 freestyle.

In the 800 free relay, Drew Werner (Hampton, PA/Hampton) and Ty Elder (Brentwood, CA/Heritage) joined Mong and Solivan in earning first place and first-team All-AMCC honors.

Other All-Conference honorees include Ryan Mitcheltree (Moon Township, PA/Moon) and Eric Peirce (Harmony, PA/Seneca Valley). Mitcheltree was first team in the 1650 freestyle and second in the 500 freestyle and 200 butterfly.  Peirce got on the second team in the 200 breaststroke.