By Kevin Donnelly, Swimming World College Intern.
With the conclusion of midseason meets at the NCAA level, there is an increasingly clear picture of what competition will look like this year. As teams wrap up the first semester and head into training camps, there are just two months until Conference Championships and three months until NCAA meets kick off.
The men’s Division III Championships over the past few seasons have been especially fun meets to follow, as well. Since 1980, Kenyon and Denison had won every single men’s DIII championship, until 2017, when Emory was able to dethrone both schools and take the top spot by over 50 points.
Will Emory be able to recreate their magic? Will Kenyon or Denison be able to return to the throne? Or will another school take the title in 2018?
Here is my list for the top five Division III men’s swimming schools through December 2017.
5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Photo Courtesy: MIT Athletics
2017’s eighth-place finishing team, the MIT Engineers are back for the 2017-2018 season stronger and ready to move up the ladder. MIT was hurt in 2017 by relay disqualifications in the 200 free relay and the 200 medley relay, costing them two top-eight placings. These DQs bumped MIT down a few spots from where they could have placed.
However, all the Engineers’ relay swimmers from the 2017 Championships return this season, giving MIT a lot of hope to score major points and move up the ladder. Additionally, junior Joshua Graves is currently ranked fourth in Division III in the mile, and sophomore Bouke Edskes is ranked fifth in the 100 fly and seventh in the 200 fly. The Engineers also are ranked second, third, and second in the 200, 400, and 800 free relays, respectively, indicating their relays are as strong as ever this season.
4. Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins was the last school outside the Ohio rivals Kenyon and Denison to win the Championship (all the way back in 1979), until Emory pulled off the victory in 2017. The Blue Jays took fourth last season, and through the halfway point of the 2017-2018 look to be in position to do the same this season.
Senior Griffith Otazu chopped three seconds off his 500 free personal best at the ‘Big Al’ Invite and currently leads the NCAA in the event, at a 4:25.30. Sophomore Brandon Fabian also looks to have a big NCAAs, as he dropped two whole seconds in the 200 free down to a 1:37.41 to take the number one spot in the division.
Additionally, junior Emile Kuyl sits third in the 100 back, and senior Mark Wilson is third in the 100 fly. The Blue Jays’ 200 medley relay team is also currently ranked second.
3. Denison University
Although Denison may not reach the peaks they reached in 2011, 2012, and 2016, when they won the NCAA titles, the Big Red still look to be a top contender. Last March, Denison placed third overall, just thirteen points behind their in-state rivals Kenyon.
The Big Red currently holds the top time in the division in three of the five relays (the 800 free, the 200 medley, and the 400 medley), as well as eight individual top-five ranked swims.
Sophomore Bebe Wang accounts for three of those eight swims, as he is currently ranked third in both the 200 back and 400 IM, as well as fourth in the 200 IM. Senior Zachary Wagner is currently ranked fourth in the 100 free, and looks to be a key cog for Denison’s push for the title as a mainstay on their sprint relays.
2. Emory University
Emory shocked the Division III Championships in Shenandoah last March when they won their first men’s swimming title in school history. Led by then-senior and US National Teamer Andrew Wilson’s three victories, the Eagles set fire to the pool en route to a 54-point victory over runner-up Kenyon.
Senior Oliver Wang, fresh off his win in the 50 free last March, is currently ranked first in the event with his 19.60 from the Miami University Invitational, and is the only man under the 20-second barrier through this point in the season. He is also ranked first in the 100 free.
However, the road does look to be more challenging without Wilson, whose victories in the 100 breast, 200 breast, and 200 IM propelled the Eagles to the title. Breaststroke appears to be a much weaker spot this year than last, as a result. Senior Cooper Tollen will look to fill in the void left by Wilson, as he is currently ranked sixth in the NCAA in the 100 breast.
Junior Tom Gordon looks to improve on his stellar NCAAs from last season in which he placed second in the 200 free and third in both the 500 and 1650. He currently sits first in the 1650 this season by over 12 seconds.
1. Kenyon College
Photo Courtesy: Kenyon Athletics
Kenyon has won 34 of the past 38 men’s swimming NCAA titles, but currently are on a drought, having lost in 2016 to rival Denison, and in 2017 to Emory. However, this looks to be the year Kenyon returns to the top.
Even without the graduated Arthur Conover, who won the 500 and 1650 free last season, Kenyon looks to be stronger in the middle-distance freestyle events. The Lords currently hold four of the top five spots in the 200 free, as well as two in each of the 500 and 1650 frees. Additionally, sophomore Ben Baturka is ranked first in the 100 back with the best time of 48.15 he put up at the Total Performance Invitational.
Senior Jon Zimdars also ranks first in the division in the 200 fly, and sophomore Mick Bartholomew leads the NCAA in the 400 IM. Kenyon also holds five top-five relays through half the season.
Given the Lords’ depth advantage over the competition, they look to be the most dangerous team come March. Through the midpoint of the season, Kenyon College looks set to reclaim the Division III men’s NCAA Championships.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
Denison is still the most deep team in Division III!