By Taylor Covington, Swimming World College Intern.
The Denison men and Emory women will head into Night Three of the 2019 NCAA Division III Swimming Championships with narrow point advantages, but with strong stroke games across the board, especially in dark horse schools such as Williams and NYU, the two may see their point totals stagnate. This could carve a path for Kenyon, who has been lingering in the top-three on both the men’s and women’s sides of competition, should they capitalize on arguably the most competitive night of the meet.
Kenyon sophomore Crile Hart will appear in her marquee event, the 100 back, and has the potential to claim the championship and boost her team’s point standings considerably. Headed into tonight as the top seed, Hart will feel the pressure as Kenyon’s center of gravity in a rather loaded field.
Denison’s Katherine Kustritz will take over the middle lane in the women’s 100 breast, hoping to defend her 2018 championship and NCAA DIII record.
With a broad spread of events including the 200 fly, 100 back, 100 breast, and 1 meter diving, the meet will become a battle of which team can attain the lead going into the final night of competition tomorrow, though no one will be out of striking distance.
Women 200 Fly
There was outside smoke in the 200 fly lanes, as NYU’s Honore Collins took it all with a time of 2:00.40, over three seconds faster than her prelims swim this morning. Seeded sixth going into tonight’s competition, Collins evidently sought to tweak her race strategy, as she proceeded to front-load the first 100 by splitting a 57.34, the fastest in the field. Collins managed to maintain that speed throughout, ultimately surpassing the top two seeds, Bowdoin’s Sterling Dixon and Williams’ Molly Craig, who touched in at 2:01.23 and 2:02.01 respectively.
An all-around fast heat, Amy Socha’s finals time of 2:02.25 would have landed her as this morning’s top seed, with the Tufts swimmer shaving over 0.70 in tonight’s performance. She was followed by Denison’s Zoe Whelan (2:02.60), MIT’s Hanna Mahaffey (2:02.83), Chicago’s Hannah Eastman (2:02.83), and Emory’s Maria Turcanu (2:02.87) who put forth impressive swims of their own, all within the sub-2:03 range.
Event 21 Women 200 Yard Butterfly
=========================================================================
NCAA Record: * 1:55.66 3/23/2012 Logan Todhunter, Williams
2018 Winner: 2:00.29 Anne Shirley Dassow, Grove City
Meet Qualify: 2:04.46
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Collins, Honore JR NYU 2:03.43 2:00.40 20
26.84 57.34 (30.50)
1:28.35 (31.01) 2:00.40 (32.05)
2 Dixon, Sterling SR Bowdoin 2:02.47 2:01.23 17
27.55 58.32 (30.77)
1:29.51 (31.19) 2:01.23 (31.72)
3 Craig, Molly SO Williams 2:02.69 2:02.01 16
26.93 57.68 (30.75)
1:29.61 (31.93) 2:02.01 (32.40)
4 Socha, Amy SO Tufts 2:03.02 2:02.25 15
26.81 57.89 (31.08)
1:30.17 (32.28) 2:02.25 (32.08)
5 Whelan, Zoe JR Denison 2:03.32 2:02.60 14
27.44 58.27 (30.83)
1:30.05 (31.78) 2:02.60 (32.55)
6 Mahaffey, Hanna SO MIT 2:03.59 2:02.66 13
27.37 58.01 (30.64)
1:29.80 (31.79) 2:02.66 (32.86)
7 Eastman, Hannah SR Chicago 2:03.28 2:02.83 12
27.24 58.34 (31.10)
1:30.35 (32.01) 2:02.83 (32.48)
8 Turcanu, Maria JR Emory 2:03.85 2:02.87 11
27.15 57.90 (30.75)
1:30.00 (32.10) 2:02.87 (32.87)
Men 200 Fly
A minor upset on the men’s side as well, Washington University’s Brandon Lum managed to secure the win after falling to Denison’s Robert Williams this morning. While the two entered with less than a tenth separating them, it was ultimately Lum who got his hand on the wall first with a time of 1:45.48, edging out Williams’ 1:45.62. The two were in a field all their own, as the second wave of swimmers touched in over a second and a half later, with Denison’s Noah Houskeeper managing to claim his spot on the medal stand with a time of 1:47.35, followed close behind by MIT’s Bouke Edskes who posted a 1:47.61. Williams’ Lucca Delcompare barely missed the top-four with his time of 1:47.73, over half a second faster than the junior’s preliminary swim.
The men were tightly packed from there, as Johns Hopkins’ Jeffrey Vitek pulled away from Lutheran’s Andreas Nybo (1:48.38) with a time of 1:47.99. Denison’s Richard Kurlich rounded out the heat with a time of 1:48.49.
Event 22 Men 200 Yard Butterfly
=========================================================================
NCAA Record: * 1:44.56 3/17/2017 Brandon Lum, Wash U
2018 Winner: 1:46.45 Cooper Knapp, SUNY New Paltz
Meet Qualify: 1:49.34
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Lum, Brandon SR Wash U. MO 1:47.56 1:45.48 20
23.80 50.28 (26.48)
1:17.03 (26.75) 1:45.48 (28.45)
2 Williams, Rober JR Denison 1:47.47 1:45.62 17
24.07 51.34 (27.27)
1:18.40 (27.06) 1:45.62 (27.22)
3 Houskeeper, Noa FR Denison 1:47.72 1:47.35 16
24.68 51.98 (27.30)
1:19.88 (27.90) 1:47.35 (27.47)
4 Edskes, Bouke JR MIT 1:48.37 1:47.61 15
23.79 50.99 (27.20)
1:19.04 (28.05) 1:47.61 (28.57)
5 Delcompare, Luc JR Williams 1:48.10 1:47.73 14
23.94 51.36 (27.42)
1:19.06 (27.70) 1:47.73 (28.67)
6 Vitek, Jeffrey FR Johns Hopkins 1:48.40 1:47.99 13
23.64 51.27 (27.63)
1:19.41 (28.14) 1:47.99 (28.58)
7 Nybo, Andreas SO Cal Lutheran 1:48.49 1:48.38 12
23.84 51.19 (27.35)
1:19.52 (28.33) 1:48.38 (28.86)
8 Kurlich, Richar FR Denison 1:48.33 1:48.49 11
24.18 52.04 (27.86)
1:20.32 (28.28) 1:48.49 (28.17)
Women 100 Back
It was a breakout swim for Crile Hart, as the Kenyon sophomore sought to tip the scales in her team’s favor. Entering tonight’s final with a 55.16, Crile had no intention of making it a close race, as she surged to the finish to drop a 53.81, just 0.35 off of the DIII NCAA record. RIT’s Seders Zbranak (55.38) protected her second place seed by tying her time from this morning, while Wesleyan’s Caroline Murphy jumped four placements to attain the bronze with a 55.48.
Kenyon’s Micah Otazu managed to tally 15 points for the Lords and Ladies with her time of 55.50, followed by Pomona-Pitzer teammates Angela Ling (55.55) and Sarah Jin (55.71). NYU’s May Li and Emory’s Carolina Olson rounded out the heat with times of 56.08 and 56.74 respectively.
Event 23 Women 100 Yard Backstroke
=========================================================================
NCAA Record: * 53.46 3/22/2013 Celia Oberholzer, Kenyon
2018 Winner: 53.61 Crile Hart, Kenyon
Meet Qualify: 56.39
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Hart, Crile SO Kenyon 55.16 53.81 20
26.20 53.81 (27.61)
2 Zbranak, Sedera SR RIT 55.38 55.38 17
27.00 55.38 (28.38)
3 Murphy, Carolin JR Wesleyan 55.68 55.48 16
27.03 55.48 (28.45)
4 Otazu, Micah JR Kenyon 55.40 55.50 15
26.83 55.50 (28.67)
5 Ling, Angela SR Pomona-Pitzer 55.63 55.55 14
26.63 55.55 (28.92)
6 Jin, Sarah SR Pomona-Pitzer 55.63 55.71 13
26.92 55.71 (28.79)
7 Li, May SR NYU 55.58 56.08 12
27.09 56.08 (28.99)
8 Olson, Caroline JR Emory 55.70 56.74 11
27.54 56.74 (29.20)
Men 100 Back
Kenyon came out on top again, as David Fitch left the pack to drop a 46.55, over a second and a half faster than his morning swim. WPI put one on the medal stand, as senior John Bauer went a 47.03 to secure the silver over JHU’s Emile Kuyl (47.60). Calvin’s Benjamin Holstege was close behind as he surged to a 47.82 finish, as Chicago’s Albert Litschgi rounded out the heat’s sub-48’s with a time of 47.89.
WSTL’s Peyton Wilson posted a 48.30 to secure points at sixth, while Denison’s Liam Picozzi (48.95) and Jacob Cost (49.05) touched in at seventh and eighth respectively.
Event 26 Men 100 Yard Breaststroke
=========================================================================
NCAA Record: * 50.94 3/17/2017 Andrew Wilson, Emory
2018 Winner: 53.39 Lukas Menkhoff, Pomona-Pitzer
Meet Qualify: 55.41
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Miller, Collin JR UW Eau Claire 54.22 53.38 20
24.80 53.38 (28.58)
2 Menkhoff, Lukas SO Pomona-Pitzer 54.28 54.20 17
25.17 54.20 (29.03)
3 Foster-Smith, T SR Denison 54.53 54.30 16
25.17 54.30 (29.13)
4 Sonnek, Tanner SR Gustavus 54.99 54.39 15
25.43 54.39 (28.96)
5 Monahan, Nolan JR USMMA 54.45 54.71 14
25.36 54.71 (29.35)
6 Leckrone, Jeffr SR Mary Washington 54.66 54.74 13
25.48 54.74 (29.26)
7 Culjat, Lance JR Chicago 54.92 54.88 12
25.76 54.88 (29.12)
8 Sodemann, Chass SR Coast Guard 54.92 55.08 11
25.82 55.08 (29.26)
Women 100 Breast
Denison’s Katherine Kustritz defended her 2018 title with another win, out-touching St. Kate’s freshman Jordyn Wentzel (1:00.72) with a time of 1:00.60. Slightly over her NCAA record of 59.77, Kustritz still managed to boost her team’s point standings, meeting her teammates’ efforts to showcase Kenyon’s stroke strength. UW Eau Claire’s Sam Senczyszyn earned a bronze a place in the 1:00 club, as she went 1:00.97 to break into the top-three.
Katherine Mesaro (1:01.38) was the lone 1:01 of the group, as she nabbed fourth ahead of Emory’s Ashley Daniels (1:02.14) and Kenyon’s Makena Markert (1:02.26). Williams’ Caroline White and Kenyon’s Andre Perttula put forth impressive individual performances of their own, posting times of 1:02.32 and 1:03.07 respectively.
Event 25 Women 100 Yard Breaststroke
=========================================================================
NCAA Record: * 59.77 3/23/2018 KT Kustritz, Denison
2018 Winner: 59.77 KT Kustritz, Denison
Meet Qualify: 1:04.33
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Kustritz, KT JR Denison 1:00.19 1:00.60 20
28.17 1:00.60 (32.43)
2 Wentzel, Jordyn FR St. Kate's 1:01.62 1:00.72 17
28.59 1:00.72 (32.13)
3 Senczyszyn, Sam SR UW Eau Claire 1:01.11 1:00.97 16
28.36 1:00.97 (32.61)
4 Mesaros, Kather JR Denison 1:01.25 1:01.38 15
28.64 1:01.38 (32.74)
5 Daniels, Ashley SR Emory 1:02.46 1:02.14 14
28.85 1:02.14 (33.29)
6 Markert, Makena SO Kenyon 1:02.44 1:02.26 13
28.86 1:02.26 (33.40)
7 White, Caroline JR Williams 1:02.71 1:02.32 12
29.62 1:02.32 (32.70)
8 Perttula, Andre FR Kenyon 1:03.11 1:03.07 11
29.77 1:03.07 (33.30)
Men 100 Breast
UW East Claire seized another place on the podium, but this time in the form of a championship as Collin Miller went a 53.38 to cinch the win. Pomona-Pitzer’s Lukas Menkhoff touched in at a 54.20 to take second, a slight drop for the sophomore. The race was on for third, as Denison’s Tiernan Foster-Smith and GAC’s Tanner Sonek (54.39) went stroke for stroke to the wall, with Foster-Smith ultimately hitting the pad first with a time of 54.30.
USMMA saw a top-five finish in marquee breaststroker Nolan Monahan, who dropped a 54.71 to out-touch UMW’s Jeffrey Leckrone (54.74). Lance Culjat put Chicago on the board with a seventh place finish and a time of 54.88, followed by CGA’s Chasse Sodemann (55.08).
Event 26 Men 100 Yard Breaststroke
=========================================================================
NCAA Record: * 50.94 3/17/2017 Andrew Wilson, Emory
2018 Winner: 53.39 Lukas Menkhoff, Pomona-Pitzer
Meet Qualify: 55.41
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Miller, Collin JR UW Eau Claire 54.22 53.38 20
24.80 53.38 (28.58)
2 Menkhoff, Lukas SO Pomona-Pitzer 54.28 54.20 17
25.17 54.20 (29.03)
3 Foster-Smith, T SR Denison 54.53 54.30 16
25.17 54.30 (29.13)
4 Sonnek, Tanner SR Gustavus 54.99 54.39 15
25.43 54.39 (28.96)
5 Monahan, Nolan JR USMMA 54.45 54.71 14
25.36 54.71 (29.35)
6 Leckrone, Jeffr SR Mary Washington 54.66 54.74 13
25.48 54.74 (29.26)
7 Culjat, Lance JR Chicago 54.92 54.88 12
25.76 54.88 (29.12)
8 Sodemann, Chass SR Coast Guard 54.92 55.08 11
25.82 55.08 (29.26)
Women 1 mtr Diving
Amherst dominated the boards as Lindsey Ruderman took the national championship with a score of 493.75. Her closest competitor was in MIT sophomore Deborah Wen, who received a 483.05. Chicago’s Agnes Lo (468.45) and ITH’s Anna Belson battled for a spot on the podium, with Lo proving victorious with an impressive 468.45. Denison’s Allison Fitzgerald broke into the top five with a 444.20 ahead of Chicago’s Elizabeth Cron, who earned a 440.90. Senior Jacqueline Palermo finished the night with a 429.05, while GEN’s Allison Fitzgerald rounded out the top eight with a score of 421.55.
Event 27 Women 1 mtr Diving
=========================================================================
NCAA Record: * 515.90 3/25/2011 Danica Roskos, TCNJ
2018 Winner: 467.60 Nickie Griesemer, Ithaca
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Ruderman, Linds SO Amherst 464.25 493.75 20
2 Wen, Deborah SO MIT 439.95 483.05 17
3 Lo, Agnes JR Chicago 457.90 468.45 16
4 Belson, Anna SR Ithaca 432.25 460.75 15
5 Fitzgerald, All JR Denison 421.00 444.20 14
6 Cron, Elizabeth FR Chicago 454.10 440.90 13
7 Palermo, Jacque SR Amherst 414.10 429.05 12
8 Reichman, Saman JR SUNY Geneseo 421.60 421.55 11
- 2018 NCAA DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIPS
- 2017 NCAA DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIPS
- 2016 NCAA DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIPS
- 2019 WOMEN'S PSYCH SHEET
- 2019 MEN'S PSYCH SHEET
- 2019 WOMEN'S INVITED SWIMMERS BY TEAM
- 2019 MEN'S INVITED SWIMMERS BY TEAM
- 2019 WOMEN'S ALTERNATES
- 2019 MEN'S ALTERNATES
- 2019 DIVING QUALIFIERS
- 2019 WOMEN'S RESULTS
- 2019 MEN'S RESULTS