Nazareth grad Stefanik shooting for fourth NCAA Wrestling Championship berth
Travis Stefanik has two dates marked on his calendar.
The Princeton University senior from Nazareth and a Nazareth High School graduate is looking forward to the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Championship on March 4-5 in Philadelphia and the NCAA Championship on March 16-18 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Stefanik, who competes at 282 pounds, has qualified three times as an at-large pick for the NCAAs. He competed twice, but the third time was canceled because of COVID-19. He will be gunning for a fourth berth with a good showing at the EIWA tourney. He lost in the finals last season. He also has earned All-Ivy first team once and second team twice.
This season, Stefanik is 12-8 overall and 5-3 in dual matches. The team has three matches remaining in the regular season.
Justin Heimes – West Virginia men’s swimming (Quakertown)
The 6-foot-3 junior is starting to gear up for the Big 12 Championship Feb. 22-25 in Austin, Texas. Heimes finished third in the 100 backstroke (47.71) and the 200 backstroke (1:45.79) at the conference meet as a sophomore. He was fourth in the 200 (1:46.93) as a freshman. Heimes stands fourth in the 200 back (1:45.75) and fifth in the 100 back (47.39) on the Mountaineers’ All-Time top ten list. He also competes with both medley relay squads.
Kayla Johnson – Duquesne women’s swimming (Parkland)
The freshman is a key performer for the Dukes both individually and in relays. At the Western Pennsylvania Invitational on Jan. 27 in Pittsburgh, Johnson finished first in the 50-yard freestyle (24.31) and was fourth in the 100 freestyle (53.34). She and her teammates were outstanding in the relays. Duquesne finished first in the 200 free (1:37.35), the 400 free (3:32.66) and the 400 medley (3:54.04). The team also finished second in the 200 medley (1:47.17).
Jack Reichenbach – Rhode Island men’s indoor track (Salisbury)
The graduate student captured the long jump at the New England College Championship last Friday and Saturday in Boston. He leaped 23 feet, 7 A½ inches. Reichenbach also finished seventh in the high jump. He cleared 6 feet, 4 A¾ inches. His personal records are 24 feet, 2 A½ inches in the long jump and 6 feet 9 A¾ in the high jump. His performance helped the Rams finished first out of five Division I colleges for their 25th title in meet history.
Ajani Dorner – Towson (Md.) men’s swimming (Easton)
The senior diver is shooting for the top of the podium when the Tigers compete in the Colonial Athletic Association Championship Feb. 22-25 in Hampton, Virginia. Dorner is the team’s top diver and has had a lot of experience in the CAA meet. He was third in the 1-meter and 3-meter as a sophomore and fourth in the 3-meter and seventh in the 1-meter as a junior. He qualified in the 3-meter at the NCAA Division I Zone Championship last season.
Nathan Lackman – Rhode Island College wrestling (Bethlehem Catholic)
The senior posted a 3-0 record as the Anchormen went 2-1 last weekend in a quad meet in Castleton, Vermont. Competing at 165 pounds, he posted a pin and a major decision and took the third match via a forfeit. Lackman has a 26-3 record with six pins and has won his last 11 matches. He captured the 157-pound title at the Division III NCAA Championships last year. The East Regionals will be held Feb. 25-26 in Gorham, Maine, and the championships are set for March 10-11 in Roanoke, Virginia.
Cassie Murphy – Jefferson women’s basketball (Notre Dame Green Pond)
The 6-foot sophomore center/ forward is having a solid season with the Rams, who are 20-3 overall and 11-1 in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference after a 77-71 league victory over Post last Saturday. Murphy had a team-high 21 points in the win. On the season, she has started all 23 games and is second on the team in scoring with a 13.0 average. She is also averaging 6.3 rebounds a game and has 31 assists, 23 steals and 21 blocked shots. She has had three double-doubles.
Brielle Redinger – Nazareth (N.Y.) women’s basketball (Wilson)
The 5-foot-11 freshman forward is having a big first year for the Golden Flyers who are 16-5 overall and 12-2 in the Empire 8 Conference. Redinger is second on the team in scoring with a 11.2 average. She leads the team in rebounding with 9.5 per game and has 49 assists and 12 blocked shots. She has scored in double figures in 13 of 21 games and has seven double-doubles. Redinger had a college career high 24 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in a 91-69 league victory over Utica on Jan. 31.
Kasey Thomas – Bryant (R.I.) women’s indoor track (Easton)
The senior captured the shot put at the New England Championship last weekend in Boston. She topped a field of 23 throwers with a toss of 45 feet, 6 A½ inches. The effort made the qualifying standard for the IC4A Championship in May in Boston. It was Thomas’ sixth victory in that event for the Bulldogs. She also has five second-place finishes and three thirds. She competes in both the shot put and the hammer throw during the spring season.
Trevor Cairns – Marymount (Va.) men’s swimming (Upper Perkiomen)
The junior prepped for this weekend’s Atlantic East Conference Championship by winning two events as the Saints topped St. Mary’s 124-118 and Immaculata 197-31 on Jan. 21. Cairns finished first in the 100 freestyle in 50.45 and touched the wall first I the 200 freestyle in 1:59.57. He competed in the 200 backstroke in the title meet as a freshman and sophomore, being a first-team selection last year.
Reilly King – Siena women’s swimming (Emmaus)
The senior distance freestyler figures to score points for the Saints at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship this weekend in Buffalo. King is the team’s top performer in the 500 free (5:12.38) and the 1650 free (17:54.84) and is second in the 1000 free (19:59.61). She finished fifth in the 500 as a freshman and was 14th in that event last year. The meet was canceled in her sophomore year because of COVID-19. King is also a member of the 800 free relay team.
Megan Sicinski – Drexel women’s swimming (Parkland)
The fifth-year student is looking forward to the Colonial Athletic Association Championship Feb. 22-25 in Hampton, Virginia. Sicinski had a big meet for the Dragons in last year’s championship. She finished second in the 200 breaststroke in 2:15.68 and third in the 100 breaststroke in 1:02.49. Sicinski was also a member of the winning 400 medley relay that posted a time of 3:40.05. And she was also part of the 200 medley relay, which finished third in 1:41.01.