NCAA Div. III: Ho-Hum, Kenyon Sweeps NCAC Conference Champs…Again

CANTON, Oh., February 15. JUST as sure as spring will be a little late this year here in the Upper Midwest, Kenyon College's Ladies and Lords swim teams (again) dominated the North Coast Athletic Conference Swimming & Diving Championships.

The meet, which concluded this evening at the C. T. Branin Natotorium, saw Kenyon's women's and men's teams defend their titles for a record 19th and 18th time, respectively..

Now it's on to the NCAA Division III Championships in Atlanta (Emory University) where Kenyon will be seeking its 24th-consecutive men's championship in the meet's 29-year history. The Ladies will be after their second-consecutive crown and 18th in 23 tries. The women's meet begins March 13 and the men follow a week later.

Kenyon's women won NCAAs annually from '84 through Y2K, then saw their domination come to a rather surprising end two seasons ago when upstart and Ohio neighbor Denison's Big Red — coached by former Lord All-America/NCAA champ Greg Parini — won the title.

Form followed function last season, however, and judging from this weekend's results Kenyon appears to be in an excellent position to have the beat continue.

The Lords won 16 of 18 events overall and recorded 44 top-five finishes to total 1709 points, besting perennial runner-up Denison 1451.The Big Red men recorded a pair of first-place finishes to go with 26 top-five finishes on the way to their 17th second-place finish. Wooster placed third with 744 points, up two spots from a fifth-place finish last winter.

The Lords have won 18 of the last 19 NCAC crowns, all under veteran mentor Jim Steen, whose 41 NCAA team championships are more than double any other individual coach's.

The Kenyon Ladies posted nine first-place finishes and 32 top-five finishes for 1499.50 points and their 19th consecutive team title. They have won every NCAC championship and 27-straight conference (or state) crowns overall. Denison picked up four wins and 24 top-five finishes to compile 1477 points and its 12th consecutive (15th overall) second-place finish. Wooster totaled 1240.50 points to place third for the sixth year in-a-row and 10th time overall.

* * * * *

Three NCAC records fell on the final day of competition. Kenyon sophomore Elliot Rushton, a Canadian native from Delta, BC, established a standard in the 1650 freestyle with his 15:48.00. Last winter he finished third.

Kayla Heising. a junior from Wooster, turned in a record time in the 100 freestyle (51.24) and Allegheny senior John Hreha broke his own mark in the one-meter diving with a score of 530.50.

Nine conference standards were broken overall at the meet.

Heising was named Female Swimmer of the Year in balloting by the league coaches. In addition to her 100 free win, she earned a conference championship in the 50 free (23.33) and met the NCAA Division III automatic qualifying standards in both events.

Kenyon senior Carlos Vega, a former Ohio prep All-America, was honored as Male Swimmer of the Year for the second-straight year. Vega won the 100 backstroke and was a member of the winning 200 and 400 medley relay teams.

Allegheny dominated the one- and three-meter diving once again. Hreha earned Male Diver of the Year honors for the fourth time after he won his fourth-straight one-meter and three-meter titles and met the national automatic standard in both.

Gator junior teammate Kelley Anderson also won both diving events, meeting the NCAA qualifying standards, and was voted Female Diver of the Year for the third time.

Wittenberg’s Lesley Ramsey and Kenyon’s Jim Steen were voted Women’s and Men’s Swimming Coaches of the Year, respectively. Denison’s Anne Gillie swept the Men’s and Women’s Diving Coach of the Year awards.

* * * * *

Kenyon Ladies entered the third day with a slim 60-point lead over Denison. The Ladies, however, used their depth to increase the lead to 108 points after the first three events. The biggest boost Kenyon received was from Galloway, who won the 200 backstroke with a 2:04.59. The title was her fourth of the championship.

Wooster started the final evening's competition with a couple of individual championships. Elizabeth Roesch captured the 1650-yard freestyle with her 17:13.33, while Heising won the 100 freestyle in her record 51.24. Heising erased the old record of 51.51 set by Kenyon's Carla Ainsworth from 1992 and both the Wooster winners cleared the NCAA's automatic cut.

Denison made a late push toward Kenyon with consecutive victories in the 200 breaststroke and 200 butterfly. Froshwoman Lauren Clark won the breaststroke (2:23.31)and sophomore Jill Boo then collected a win in the butterfly (2:09.09).

The championship was capped off by Kenyon's women winning the 400 freestyle relay in an NCAA 'A' 3:28.75. The winning team was Jane Alexander, Beth Galloway, Erinn Hurley and Agnese Ozolina. Both Galloway and Ozolina were each a part of five NCAC titles this year.

* * * * *

In men's racing, Kenyon senior Read Boon gave Vega a run for his money in the Swimmer of the Year voting, finishing off this evening with a win in the 200 backstroke (1:51.40) and the 400 freestyle relay. Boon finished the NCAC championship with five titles.

Allegheny's Hreha completed the career sweep of the men's one-meter and three-meter diving competitions and was awarded the NCAC's Diver of the Year award for the fourth-consecutive season. He won this year's events with 530.50 points in the one-meter and 480.60 points in the three-meter competition. His one-meter output was an NCAC record.

As noted above, Kenyon's Rushton established a conference record in the 1650-yard freestyle. His15:48.00 topped the old record of 15:50.98 set by Kenyon's Michael Bonomo in 2000.

Kenyon junior Marc Courtney-Brooks was also a part of the Lords' winning 400-freestyle relay team. The reigning NCAA Division III Swimmer of the Year wrapped up the NCAC championship with five titles.

— Bill Bell

NORTH COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

C.T. BRANIN NATATORIUM

CANTON, OH., FEB. 15, 2003

25 YD. POOL

WOMEN'S FINAL RESULTS

1650 FREESTYLE
1. Elizabeth Roesch Wooster 17:13.33
2. Rachel Smith Kenyon 17:24.87
3. Kate Holland Kenyon 17:30.90
4. Becca Searcy Wittenberg 17:39.54
5. Jody Bray Wooster 17:40.68
6. Lauren Murphy Denison 18:06.62
7. Leslie Banas Wittenberg 18:13.09
8. Nori Chong Denison 18:29.49
9. Noel Wells Wooster 18:36.77
10. Lindley Stirn Ohio Wesleyan 18:48.48
11. Holly Duff Wooster 18:55.24
12. Jen Jenkins Wooster 19:18.19
13. Amy Clements Allegheny 19:24.24
14. Tara Greene Allegheny 19:43.45
15. Rebecca Stoia Ohio Wesleyan 20:05.29
16. Sarah Schick Wittenberg 20:07.34

200 BACKSTROKE
1. Beth Galloway Kenyon 2:04.59
2. Sarah Retrum Kenyon 2:07.34
3. Clare Williams Denison 2:09.93
4. Bethany Yeakley Wittenberg 2:10.34
5. Jennie Miller Kenyon 2:10.43
6. Kate Holland Kenyon 2:10.74
7. Ashley Johnson Denison 2:13.15
8. Kim Chambers Wooster 2:14.05
9. Emily Hatcher Kenyon 2:12.59
10. Shannon Hartney Denison 2:13.77
11. Patti Ross Wooster 2:13.90
12. Leah Favret Denison 2:14.34
13. Bethany Hart Allegheny 2:15.19
14. Jen Jenkins Wooster 2:17.71
15. Kim Davis Oberlin 2:18.84
16. Leslie Banas Wittenberg 2:19.47

100 FREESTYLE
1. Kayla Heising Wooster 51.24**
2. Agnese Ozolina Kenyon 51.50
3. Sarah Peck Denison 52.42
4. Chrissy Havach Denison 53.06
5. Erinn Hurley Kenyon 53.39
6. Meredith French Denison 54.00
7. Betsy Garratt Kenyon 54.13
8. Jane Alexander Kenyon 54.41
9. Mellisa Cardwell Denison 53.70
10. Melissa Holt Kenyon 54.02
11. Sony Tarasenkov Wooster 54.16
12. Erin Stanley Denison 54.31
13. Sophie Brym Wooster 54.49
14. Tanya Tarasenkov Wooster 54.86
15. Ashley Brant Ohio Wesleyan 55.22
16. Stephanie Sabo Denison 55.48

200 BREASTSTROKE
1. Lauren Clark Denison 2:23.31
2. Beth Groselle Hiram 2:23.73
3. Ashley Rowatt Kenyon 2:23.92
4. Jenny Bayuk Wooster 2:25.24
5. Liz Whittman Wooster 2:28.50
6. Amy Connor Wittenberg 2:29.19
7. Deb Janssen Denison 2:30.08
8. Emily Smythe Ohio Wesleyan 2:31.31
9. Mary Katherine Harr Denison 2:32.33
10. Sarah Steele Wooster 2:33.93
11. Anne Overly Wittenberg 2:34.91
12. Megan Natali Allegheny 2:35.45
13. Nikki Middaugh Oberlin 2:36.09
14. Laura Wareck Kenyon 2:36.45
15. Adrienne Zoller Oberlin 2:37.65
16. Leslie Hahn Wooster 2:40.16

200 BUTTERFLY
1. Jill Boo Denison 2:09.09
2. Claire Tindal Kenyon 2:10.02
3. Annie Racek Kenyon 2:11.20
4. Amy Clark Wooster 2:14.26
5. Kristi Stone Allegheny 2:15.03
6. Jody Bray Wooster 2:16.30
7. Carly Chornobil Kenyon 2:17.55
8. Nori Chong Denison 2:19.93
9. Rebecca Onaitis Denison 2:15.33
10. Sarah Pettit Wittenberg 2:15.33
11. Nicole Kinzeler Wittenberg 2:21.35
12. Heather Osterwise Allegheny 2:22.43
13. Lauren Murphy Denison 2:22.58
14. Michelle Cicero Allegheny 2:25.05
15. Jessica Drusbacky Ohio Wesleyan 2:25.18
16. Jean Chadderon Ohio Wesleyan 2:26.55

THREE-METER DIVING
1. Kelley Anderson Allegheny 436.90
2. Nikki Weaver Denison 322.70
3. Kit Gray Wittenberg 277.95
4. Quinn Hoffman Kenyon 274.70
5. Marguerite Hegman Allegheny 261.10
6. Cathy Dugan Denison 254.70
7. Liz Hinchman Denison 254.45
8. Heather Simmons Allegheny 242.75
9. Kate McGlone Oberlin 208.15
10. Laura Stapula Wittenberg 176.20
11. Ashley Tipple Wittenberg 154.60

400 FREESTYLE RELAY
1. Kenyon 3:28.75
2. Denison 3:30.59
3. Wooster 3:31.76
4. Wittenberg 3:40.89
5. Allegheny 3:44.24
6. Ohio Wesleyan 3:46.46
7. Hiram 3:47.99
8. Oberlin 3:58.75

MEN'S FINALS

1650 FREESTYLE
1. Elliott Rushton Kenyon 15:48.00
2. Andy Hoffman Denison 15:58.95
3. John Schutt Denison 16:09.10
4. David Gold Kenyon 16:10.20
5. Peter Gosselar Kenyon 16:18.73
6. Tim Chiappetta Denison 16:30.83
7. Nick Collins Wabash 16:41.73
8. Thomas Limouze Oberlin 17:02.86
9. Justin Kouri Hiram 17:06.22
10. Ben Pierce Oberlin 17:12.77
11. Robert Clark Allegheny 17:16.58
12. Adam Yack Wooster 17:30.77
13. Jason Thompson Wabash 17:34.02
14. Yorgos Strangas Oberlin 17:52.96
15. Justin Johnson Wittenberg 17:56.99
16. Kevin McAninch Wittenberg 17:56.99

200 BACKSTROKE
1. Read Boon Kenyon 1:51.40
2. Zach Huggins Hiram 1:55.08
3. David Dehart Kenyon 1:55.54
4. Kevin Wolfe Wooster 1:55.61
5. Kyle Brockett Denison 1:56.76
6. Brett Hansen Denison 1:57.78
7. Justin Karpinos Kenyon 1:58.12
8. Burt Betchart Oberlin 1:59.14
9. Dennis Bowers Wabash 1:57.87
10. Matt Perkins Wabash 1:58.83
11. David Brumbaugh Wooster 1:59.82
12. Sam Almy Wooster 1:59.97
13. Jim Gilchrist Wooster 2:01.40
14. Rob Lisy Denison 2:02.06
15. Nick Girard Allegheny 2:02.15
16. Kyle Dunaway Wittenberg 2:02.74

100 FREESTYLE
1. Greg Haar Denison 46.18
2. Jon Philipsborn Kenyon 46.53
3. Thomas Ashby Kenyon 46.97
4. Jimmy Berger Kenyon 47.07
5. Andrejs Duda Kenyon 47.22
6. Jade Sobek Denison 47.32
7. Joe Silvestri Wooster 47.35
8. Dustin Pfeif Denison 47.53
9. Jared Smith Denison 48.02
10. Joe Strike Kenyon 48.25
11. Jason Groselle Hiram 48.60
12. Brandon Peacock Wabash 48.78
13. Joe Cellar Ohio Wesleyan 48.85
14. Andrew Reilly Allegheny 48.94
15. Matt Werbach Wittenberg 48.95
16. Steve Birrer Wabash 49.03

200 BREASTSTROKE
1. Petar Krvaric Kenyon 2:07.73
2. Paul Kaminsky Kenyon 2:08.03
3. Alex Murry Denison 2:09.26
4. Jeff Skladzien Denison 2:09.61
5. Jim Bell Kenyon 2:09.97
6. Ben Douglass Denison 2:10.17
7. Eric Meyers Denison 2:10.61
8. Alex Berger Wittenberg 2:13.60
9. Matt Wilson Allegheny 2:08.69
10. Ben Hewitt Wabash 2:10.04
11. Trey Smith Kenyon 2:12.46
12. David Holder Ohio Wesleyan 2:13.93
13. Colin Fahey Wabash 2:14.93
14. John Groselle Hiram 2:14.93
15. Albert B-Cortes Denison 2:14.97
16. Steven Barry Wittenberg 2:17.06

200 BUTTERFLY
1. Carlos Vega Kenyon 1:51.20
2. Marc Courntey-Brooks Kenyon 1:52.21
3. Joel Rector Denison 1:52.59
4. Steve Rader Wittenberg 1:53.19
5. Elliott Rushton Kenyon 1:54.66
6. Lain Shakespeare Kenyon 1:56.88
7. Brett Findley Wabash 1:59.43
8. Kevin Wolfe Wooster 2:00.31
9. Mike Burillo Allegheny 2:01.55
10. John Wells Hiram 2:01.80
11. Nick Collins Wabash 2:01.96
12. Steve Rusnica Allegheny 2:02.01
13. Tony Andersson Ohio Wesleyan 2:03.03
14. Kyle Dunaway Wittenberg 2:05.63
15. Rick Seward Allegheny 2:06.04
16. Jeremy West Wabash 2:09.23

ONE-METER DIVING
1. John Hreha Allegheny 530.50**
2. Scott Siegel Denison 357.40
3. Alan Rill Ohio Wesleyan 299.45
4. Todd Koenig Wooster 297.80
5. Mario Halbert Hiram 223.15
6. Aaron Bergman Wooster 209.55
7. Ben Origer Wabash 194.20
8. Colin Donegan Wittenberg 177.35
9. Howard Bailey Wabash 134.30
10. Richard Winters Wabash 131.15
11. Demetrian Cook Wabash 116.45
12. Quintin Ward Hiram 111.60

400 FREESTYLE RELAY
1. Kenyon 3:02.59
2. Denison 3:05.61
3. Allegheny 3:12.86
4. Ohio Wesleyan 3:14.30
5. Wittenberg 3:14.93
6. Hiram 3:15.99
7. Wabash 3:16.97
8. Oberlin 3:18.41
9. Wooster 3:19.80

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