YORK, Pa. – The Shippensburg University men's swimming team advanced three men to individual finals on the third day of the 2023 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships being contested at the Graham Aquatic Center.
 
Graduate Andrew Hale had the highest place finish of the day for the Raiders, posting a time of 57.43 seconds in the championship 'A' finals of the 100-yard breaststroke that resulted in seventh place. Hale swam 57.31 seconds in the prelims to qualify as the fifth seed.
 
It was the fourth championship final and the fifth career PSAC place-winning performance in the event for Hale, who finished sixth last season, third in 2021, seventh in 2020 and sixth in 2019. His lifetime best of 56.90 seconds in the event ranks fourth all-time in school history.  
 
The final swim of the day for the Raiders marked a new addition to the Top 10 list in the 200-yard butterfly, as graduate Vin Salvatore (Howell, N.J./Howell) destroyed his PR with a fantastic time of 1:53.84 that resulted in an 11th-place finish. Salvatore surpassed his previous personal best by two full seconds and established a new season best by nearly three full seconds.
 
The performance is the fastest by a Raider in the event in 16 years and ranks him sixth all-time in school history. It is also his fifth career place-winning performance in the event, accompanying a 13th-place finish last year, a fifth-place finish in 2021, a 12th-place finish in 2020 and a 10th-place finish in 2019.
 
Junior Michael Salvatori finished 15th in the 500-yard freestyle, touching the wall in 4:46.18. He qualified for the consolation final by virtue of a morning prelim of 4:43.78 – which was just a second off his season best.
 
Senior David Bussard paced the Raiders in the 100-yard backstroke with a season best of 53.42 seconds.
 
Several Raiders recorded PRs, including senior Alec Burger in the 100-yard backstroke (54.17 seconds), sophomore Nathan VanNatter in the 100-yard breaststroke (59.36 seconds) and sophomore Zaidian Van Orden in the 200-yard butterfly (1:59.02). Freshman Nate Wauls delivered a collegiate best in the 100-yard breaststroke of 59.40 seconds.
 
The evening session began with Hale, Salvatore, Burger and senior Elijah Zinn completing the 200-yard medley relay in 1:35.16. Salvatore had a listed butterfly split of 25.97 seconds.
 
Shippensburg is in sixth place entering the final day of competition, which begins with prelims at 10 a.m. Saturday.
 
500 Free
15. Michael Salvatori 4:46.18 (4:43.78p)
JC Greenwood 4:53.19
 
100 Back
David Bussard 53.42
Alec Burger 54.17
Kevin Noldy 54.31
 
100 Breast
7. Andrew Hale 57.43 (57.31p)
Nathan VanNatter 59.36
Nate Wauls 59.40
 
200 Fly
11. Vin Salvatore 1:53.84 (1:56.76p)
David Johnson 1:57.64
Zaidian Van Orden 1:59.02
 
200 Medley Relay
7. Andrew Hale, Vin Salvatore, Alec Burger, Elijah Zinn 1:35.16