Kolacz, Ledwith and Umbarger Named KSC's Athletes of the Week!

Kaila Umbarger

Umbarger set a NCAA Division III provisional qualifying time in the 50-yard freestyle and won two individual events at the Little East Championships this past weekend. The Chelmsford, Mass. native touched the wall at 23.63 seconds to set a new championship meet standard. Umbarger also captured the 100-yeard freestyle event with a meet record of 52.76 seconds. She also anchored the victorious 200 yard medley and 400-yard freestyle relay teams. Keene State won the conference crown for the fifth straight season and eighth overall.

Bryan Kolacz

Kolacz led the Owls in the 2010 season opener for the track and field team with an NCAA automatic and school record mark of 65'-9'' in the 35lb weight throw and a 49'-0.75'' school record toss in the shot put. Kolacz's toss is the farthest in Division III since 2006, when Kevin Becker of Wisconsin La Crosse, set the NCAA Division III record with a toss of 21.04 meters. Kolacz becomes just the second thrower in Division III history to top 20 meters.

"The mark in the weight throw is a great mark to open up the season," said KSC head coach Pete Thomas. "We hope that he continues to improve and uses this mark as a stepping stone for the rest of the season."

On Kolacz's third throw of the afternoon, his toss of 20.04 meters in the weight was good enough to win the event by over 11 feet. "I still can't believe it went that far," said Kolacz. "It's very relieving to know that I hit the automatic for nationals so now we can just focus on getting better."

In the shot-put, the senior's first throw improved his school record by almost two feet. "I am shocked at how well the shot put went, said Kolacz. "I am a little stronger than last year but my technique has improved and I feel like the throw was more effortless."

Drew Ledwith

Drew Ledwith had a record-setting weekend for the Owls at the ECAC Swimming Championships at the Nassau County Aquatics Center in New York.  On Friday, the freshman from Keene became the first Keene State College swimmer to post an NCAA Division III Championship automatic qualifying time. Competing in the 1,650-yard freestyle race he touched the wall at 15:39.59, shattering the previous KSC mark of 16:17.13 set by teammate Dan Morse in 2009.  KSC Coach Jack Fabian called Ledwith's performance incredible.  "His time would've been good for sixth place at last year's nationals," he said.  "He has a great shot of being an All-American." Ledwith, who has already set four school records this season, also established a new ECAC Championship mark with his performance.

On Saturday, Ledwith set a new KSC record with his third place finish (1:56.28) in the 200 fly.  He was also a member of the 800 free relay team that also established a new meet and school record with a time of  6:58.54. 

Ledwith, who finished third in total individual points (113 points) continued his  strong performance in Sunday's final day of competition.  He  posted an NCAA provisional qualifying time and  set a meet and school record with a second place finish in the 500 free (4:33.99). 

The Keene State men tallied a program best  1,108.50 points to finish third at the Championships. The Owls set eight school records at the meet, including five by Ledwith.