By Kevin Donnelly, Swimming World College Intern.
Every year at the NCAA DI Championships, we get to see some otherworldly swimming by all the best collegiate swimmers across the United States. This past season was no different, as swimmers like Katie Ledecky, Ella Eastin and Caeleb Dressel stole the show by winning multiple events.
But those big names are not the only athletes posting amazing performances at the meet. Numerous talented swimmers from mid-major colleges also put up some unbelievable times and placed incredibly high as a result, and they deserve some time in the limelight. Listed below are the top five mid-major swimmers from the 2018 NCAA DI Championships.
5. Bailey Andison – University of Denver
A junior from Ontario, Canada, Bailey Andison represented the University of Denver at the women’s NCAA Championships and turned heads in the process. Andison swam a 1:54.44 in the prelims of the 200 IM to qualify for the A final, taking eighth place in the finals session later that day.
She followed up that stellar performance by winning the B final of the 400 IM, taking ninth with a time of 4:03.83. Those 20 points scored by Andison placed Denver 31st overall for the meet, ahead of a number of strong Power Five conference schools.
4. Anton Loncar – University of Denver
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Also representing the University of Denver, Anton Loncar hails from the state of Oregon and was a senior this past NCAA season. After winning the Summit League titles in both the 100 and 200 backstrokes, Loncar continued on to the NCAA level in epic fashion, taking sixth place in the men’s 200 back (1:38.62) and seventh in the 100 back (45.11). Both of those times now stand as records for the Denver men’s team.
3. Delaney Duncan – Eastern Michigan University
A junior from the state of Illinois, Delaney Duncan is a member of the Eastern Michigan University swim team. After leaving high school in 2015 with a best time of 1:04.31 in the women’s 100 breaststroke, Duncan has skyrocketed all the way to a national-title favorite in the event entering her senior season.
She placed fourth this past season at the NCAA DI Championships with a time of 58.36. She also placed 14th in the 200 breaststroke, breaking the 2:10 barrier for the first time in her career with a 2:08.80. With one more year left in the NCAA, expect Duncan to challenge for a national title in March of 2019.
2. Alex Evdokimov – Cornell University
A senior from Florida, Alex Evdokimov won both the 100 and 200 breaststrokes at the men’s Ivy League Championships before continuing on to the NCAA level with massive success. Evdokimov took fourth in the 100 breast in a time of 51.32 and fifth in the 200 breast with a 1:52.30. A former U.S. Olympic Trials semifinalist in both events, his performances at this year’s NCAAs were his first A final appearances at the meet in his career as a Cornell Red Bear.
1. Dean Farris – Harvard University
Photo Courtesy: Dan D’Addona
Led by Dean Farris, a sophomore from Atlanta, the Harvard men’s team took 18th overall at this past year’s NCAA DI Championships, the highest of any mid-major school in the country.
Farris scored in all three of his individual races, including a sixth-place showing in the 200 free (1:32.12) and a seventh-place finish in the 200 back (1:39.21). Farris went a full-second faster in the 200 free at the Ivy League Championships (1:31.12), which shows that he potentially has more to give in that event at the NCAA meet in his next two years at Harvard.
Sometimes we miss the real drama at championship meets when our eyes are glued to the number one, celebrity swimmers. These five athletes deserve some time front and center!
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
No expert coach comes in Pakistan to coach swimmers
I want to be champion in swimming. But all in vein
Farris going a full second slower at NCAAs doesn’t show he has ‘more to give’ at future NCAAs. It shows that twice his coaches decided to go full taper for Ivy champs and couldn’t re-taper successfully at NCAAs….