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Krusch Takes 200-IM A-10 Title; Burdo, Kalletta Earn Silver as Bonnies Surge To Third Overall

George Kalletta, left, and Tjaard Krusch, center, celebrate on the podium Thursday night.
George Kalletta, left, and Tjaard Krusch, center, celebrate on the podium Thursday night.
Posted: Feb 20, 2020

GENEVA, Ohio – Tjaard Krusch set a new Atlantic 10 record in the 200-IM to pace the St. Bonaventure University men's swimming and diving team Thursday at the Atlantic 10 Championships at the SPIRE Institute.

The Bonnies moved into third place of the team standings with 201.5 points after winning three medals Thursday evening. George Mason sits atop the leaderboard with 262 points while George Washington is second with 220.5 points.

It was a historic night for the Bonnies in the 200-IM as the Bonnies took the top two spots on the podium in the event. Krusch clocked in with a time of 1:45.73, breaking the previous A-10 record of 1:46.06 set by La Salle's Fabian Bergman set two years ago. Krusch's mark was also an NCAA "B" cut time.

The Atlantic 10's Most Outstanding Rookie Performer at the championship meet two years ago, Krusch won two silvers and a bronze in his A-10 debut and also captured a silver in the 100-back last year. He finished fourth in the 200-IM a year ago at 1:47.96.

To make the moment even better for the Bonnies was the fact that right next to Krusch on the podium was his own teammate.

Sophomore George Kalletta clocked in just behind Krusch in the 200-IM, winning the silver medal in 1:46.74 which is also an NCAA "B" cut time. It marks the first-ever A-10 medal for the second-year member of the Bona program.

Both Krusch and Kalletta broke the previous St. Bonaventure program 200-IM record of 1:47.39 set by Michael White in 2016.

Senior Nick Burdo earned himself hardware as well, finishing in second place and winning a silver medal with a time of 20.40 in the 50-freestyle for his first A-10 medal. Burdo tied for second with Marcus Forsgren of La Salle, behind only Will Rastatter of George Mason who won with a time of 20.33

David Shakhnazarov finished in sixth place in 20.66 in the 50-free while William Lowe won the consolation final, turning in a time of 20.56.

Hylton Collinson also qualified for Thursday's final of the 200-IM, finishing in seventh with a time of 1:48.72.

In the 500-freestyle, Elias Petri clocked in at 4:32.66 to earn a fifth place finish for the Brown and White.

In the 1-meter diving event, Michael Bruno finished in eighth place with a total score of 230.35. Matthew Bielobradek earned a 12th-place finish with a score of 226.60 and Austin Campbell placed 15th with a final score of 211.50.

To close out the evening, the team of Burdo, Shakhnazarov, Lowe and Marcus Swartfager took fifth in the 200-freestyle relay, clocking in at 1:21.43.

The Bonnies are back in the pool Friday at 10:00 a.m. Friday's events feature the 400-IM, 100-butterfly, 200-freestyle, 100-breaststroke and 100-backstroke.

TEAM STANDINGS
 1. George Mason 262
2. George Washington 220.5
3. St. Bonaventure 201.5
 4. La Salle 169.5
5. Davidson 153.5
6. UMass 134.5
7. Saint Louis 94
8. Fordham 92.5

BONNIES RESULTS
500-freestyle
 8. Elias Petri – 4:32.66

200-IM
 1. Tjaard Krusch – 1:45.73 (Atlantic 10 Conference Record) – NCAA "B" Cut
2. George Kalletta – 1:46.74 – NCAA "B" Cut
7. Hylton Collinson – 1:48.72

1-meter diving
 8. Michael Bruno – 230.35
12. Matthew Bielobradek – 226.60 (Consolation Final)
15. Austin Campbell – 211.50 (Consolation Final)

50-freestyle
 T-2. Nick Burdo – 20.40
6. David Shakhnazarov – 20.66
9. William Lowe – 20.56 (Consolation Final)

200-freestyle relay
 5. Nick Burdo, David Shakhnazarov, William Lowe, Marcus Swartfager – 1:21.43

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