Rochester, NY – Freshman Paige Fronczak lopped a quarter second off the program's previous best in the 50 freestyle as the Clarkson University Swimming & Diving program produced solid performances in the first session of the Don Richards Invitational on Friday afternoon.

The Golden Knights' men sit in second place through 12 events with a score of 197.5 points, behind just the host RIT (350.5) but ahead of Vassar (165), Skidmore (141), St. Lawrence (96) and Bard (85). On the women's side, Clarkson is in sixth place among seven teams with 93 points, trailing RIT (296), William Smith (226), St. Lawrence (189), Vassar (183), and Skidmore (139) but ahead of Bard (48). Saturday provides plenty of opportunity for the Golden Knights to make up ground as there are two full sessions for the invitational, with session two starting at 9:00 am and the third session beginning at 4:00 pm.

Fronczak took fifth in the 50 freestyle with a time of 24.97 seconds, bettering the previous mark set nearly 10 years ago by Katherine Gawrys (25.23 seconds). The only other Clarkson female to score points on the first day was classmate Amelia Kanner, who came in 10th in the 200 individual medley in 2:21.61.

The men filled out a few spots in the first 10 swimmers on a couple of occasions. Juniors Benjamin Thibert, John Magnuson, and Jacob Baker each placed in the top eight in the 200 individual medley, as Thibert took third (2:00.51), Magnuson came in seventh (2:03.84) and Baker was eighth (2:05.43). In the 50 freestyle, three more were in the top 10, including Gavin Lopata in fifth (21.97 seconds), Thibert in seventh (22.25) and Jase Smith in eighth (22.29). Angus McLean also was in the top 10 in the 500 freestyle, taking ninth (5:09.93) while Brent Reid came in second in the 3-meter dive with a score of 395.45 points.

Clarkson's men also had a pair of runner-up finishes in the relay events. Smith, Lopata, Sean Landers and Thibert combined to take second in the 200 freestyle (1:27.93) while the grouping of Thibert, Magnuson, Baker and Lopata combined for second in the 400 medley relay (3:37.19).