NCAA Div. I Men’s Champs, Day 3 Finals: Tarwater Blitzes Field in 200 Butterfly

By Kevin Noth, SwimInfo Special Correspondent
Photos by Tim Morse

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., March 26. THE participants in the finals of the 200 butterfly should have looked quite familiar to one another. Seven of last year’s finalists made up this year’s championship field of eight. But it was Davis Tarwater of Michigan that showed he was the class of the field.

Tarwater scorched his fellow competitors by clocking 1:42.30, a mark that ranks third all-time. The Michigan junior started slowly, finding himself in seventh place after the first 50 yards, but kicked it in over the final 100, recording the fastest third and fourth 50 splits in the field, including an incredible 27.07 over the last leg.

Last year’s champion, Rainer Kendrick of Texas, was this year’s runner-up, taking the second position in a time of 1:43.02. Daniel Cruz of Kentucky placed third in a time of 1:43.97.

Stanford swimmers positioned themselves in fourth and fifth as Jayme Cramer finished just ahead of teammate Matt McDonald. Michael Raab (Virginia), Adam Sioui (Florida) and Nate O’Brien rounded out the field placing sixth through eighth, respectively.

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