Division III Weekly Preview: Everything You Need for the Nation’s Top Conference Championships

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It is officially the start of championship season for NCAA Division III swimming & diving. This week, five of the nation’s top conference championships kick off competition across the nation.

Eight of the top ten teams from last season compete this weekend for the women, while six of the top ten do for the men. This should give the rest of Division III a decent preview of what it is going to take to qualify for the 2017 NCAA Division III Championships as a lot of fast swimming will take place up front this year.

College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin, Feb. 9-11

Wheaton College 2015 Swimming Invitational, Friday Prelims, December 4, 2015

Photo Courtesy: Michael Hudson

Participating Institutions:

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Carthage College, Wheaton College (IL), Augustana College, Illinois Wesleyan University, North Central College, Millikin University

Swimmers to Watch:

William McCauley (Wheaton, 1,650 free) – McCauley was a triple winner at last year’s CCIW Championships, taking the 500 and 1,650 freestyles and 400 IM. Last season, McCauley swam a 15:46.41 in December, a 15:52.59 at conferences and then a 15:56.59 to earn Honorable Mention All America Honors at NCAAs. He also qualified for NCAAs in the mile in 2014. With an extra year of experience under his belt, he should be able to put together a good race at both meets this year, as he curerntly holds the fifteenth fastest time in the nation. He will need to swim a bit faster to qualify, and will likely have to do so on his own as he should handedly take the 1,650 crown this weekend.
Christopher Szymczak (Wheaton, 100 & 200 back) – Just a sophomore, Szymczak will be looking to defend his 100 and 200 backstroke titles this weekend. He made an impact right away for Wheaton after finishing fifth in the 200 back at last year’s NCAA Championships. He posted a 1:48.04 at CCIWs and a 1:47.45 at NCAAs. Coming into conferences he posted a 1:48.75 so far this season giving him the seventh spot in the national rankings. While he should win both events this weekend, he will be challenged by Sam Gabriel of Carthage in both distances.
Erin Bagley (Wheaton, 50 free/100 breast) – Bagley is currently sitting fourteenth in the 50 free and sixteenth in the 100 breast in the national rankings. The senior has earned her fair share of All-American titles on relays, but has always raced in the B final in her individual events all three years at NCAAs. She is setting herself up well to qualify for the A final of the 100 breast this year, as she has already swam faster than she did at NCAAs last year. Her seed time of 1:03.54 should leave her unchallenged at CCIWs where she claimed the event last year in 1:03.13. If Bagley slips under the 1:03 barrier her road to an individual All-American title will become much clearer.
Eleanore Hong (Rose-Hulman, 200 back) – Senior Hong will be looking to improve upon her placing in the 200 backstroke one last time after placing eighth, eighth and fourth each year at NCAAs. At last year’s CCIW Championships, she swam a 2:00.66; she then swam a 1:58.77 in March. Her seed time of 2:02.11 is just off what she was headed into this meet last year (2:01.23). Regardless, she holds the tenth top time so far this season and should easily qualify for NCAAs. It is unlikely that anyone will beat Emory’s Cindy Cheng in this event, but the race is up for grabs after that. She will be challenged by Carthage’s Katherine Hugo this weekend.

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Old Dominion Conference, Feb. 10-12

Photo Courtesy: Keith Lucas

Participating Institutions:

Washington and Lee University, Emory & Henry College, Randolph-Macon College, Bridgewater College, Greensboro College, Hollins University, Sweet Briar College, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Ferrum College, Guilford College

Swimmers to Watch:

Emily Rollo (Washington & Lee, 100 & 200 back, 200 IM) – Senior Emily Rollo is a true example of an outstanding Division III swimmer. As a freshman, Rollo placed second in the 100 backstroke and third in the 200 backstroke at the ODAC Championships. The following year she claimed the 200 back and both IMs, and qualified for NCAAs in the backstroke finishing 23rd. As a junior, Rollo won another three events at ODACs and then went on to earn All-America honors in both the 100 and 200 backstroke. Now as a senior, Rollo will take a shot at becoming an NCAA Champion, or at the very least a runner up. She currently holds the second fastest time in the 100 (55.78) and fifth fastest time in the 200 (2:01.63) nationally. If she continues on her four-year journey to success, expect to hear the name Emily Rollo again come March.
Emily Hageboeck (Washington & Lee, 100 & 200 breast, 400 IM) – Just a freshman, Hageboeck will be looking to make an immediate impact on NCAA competition. She is currently eleventh in the 200 breast (2:19.96) and sixteenth in the 100 (1:04.64). Both swims are faster than what she swam in high school. The difference between Hageboeck and Rollo is that the freshman will have a big challenge in both swims from Emory & Henry’s Michaela Nolte. Nolte, a senior, has also picked up a pair of NCAA B cuts in these events and is the three-time defending champion in both distances. Nolte will certainly be looking to go eight for eight in her career so these will be the two races to watch this weekend.
Ali MacQueen (Washington & Lee, 100 fly) – With MacQueen in the mix, Washington & Lee will post a solid medley relay this weekend and at NCAAs. The sprint fly specialist is currently eighth in the national rankings in this event (55.75). She will not see as close of competition at ODACs, but will have a good shot at earning her first All-American title in March. She will likely also compete in the 50 (24.13) free and 100 (52.89) free where she holds the top and second fastest time in the conference, respectively.

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University Athletic Association, Feb. 8-11

Photo Courtesy: NYU Athletics

Participating Institutions:

Brandeis University, Carnegie Mellon University, Case Western Reserve University, Emory University, New York University, University of Chicago, University of Rochester, Washington University in Saint Louis

Swimmers to Watch:

Cindy Cheng (Emory, 100 & 200 back) – Cheng is one of two swimmers at the UAA Championships to have the top seed in all three events. Cheng is actually over-entered, claiming the top seeds in both backstrokes as well as the 200 and 500 free. She has a much greater chance of winning the 200 free, but would have to double up the event with the 100 back if she opts out of the 500. It will be interesting to see her third event here, since she will already safely make the NCAA meet. She also holds the nation’s top time in all four events and appears to be a bit untouchable in the backstrokes this year. She would be heavily challenged in the 500 by Wash U’s Nicole Zanolli in the 500 this weekend as well as Depauw’s Angela Newlon at NCAAs. All three women have swam between 4:51.85 and 4:51.95 so far this season.
Niamh O’Grady (Washington University, 100 & 200 fly, 200 IM) – O’Grady is the other female swimmer to watch at this meet as she has the top seed in all three of her events. She holds the nation’s top time in the 200 IM (2:02.73) after swimming a 2:04 in the event at both the 2015 and 2016 NCAA Championships as well as last year’s UAAs. She comes in under the meet record and with a time that would have put her fourth at least year’s NCAAs. With the graduation of Amherst’s Emily Hyde, O’Grady has a serious shot at taking the 200 IM in March. While her chances of such success will be less in the butterfly events, she should still win the 200 this weekend at UAAs and will be challenged by Emory’s Fiona Muir in the 100.
Andrew Wilson (Emory, 100 & 200 breast, 200 IM) – It goes without saying that Andrew Wilson is one of the top swimmers to watch this weekend at UAAs. He holds the top seed in the conference and in the nation in all three events, and is the Division III record holder in both breaststrokes. There will be nothing crazy with him going on at this meet–Wilson will win all three events he swims like the veteran that he is. And that’s that.
Christian Baker (Emory, 500 & 1,650 free) – Baker holds the top seed in the 500 and 1,650 free as well as the 200 fly and 200 free. He is currently second in the 1,650 and 200 fly in the national rankings, and is holding on with the top rank in the 500 by just over a second. He has earned a third and fifth place finish at the last two NCAA Championships, and will be looking to close out his collegiate career with an improvement on these finishes. Baker’s swims will be crucial come March as Emory will be looking to win the team title. This weekend, there is a bit less pressure on the points side, but he could be challenged by either Chicago’s Taye Baldinazzo in the 200 free or Wash U’s Brandon Lum in the 200 fly.

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New England Small College Athletic Conference (Women Only), Feb. 10-12

Photo Courtesy: Shannon Edelbrock

Participating Institutions:

Amherst College, Bates College, Bowdoin College, Colby College, Connecticut College, Hamilton College, Middlebury College, Trinity College, Tufts University, Wesleyan University, Williams College

Swimmers to Watch:

Megan Pierce (Williams, distance free, fly, IM) – While Williams will bring their typical group of superstars, the once to watch will be senior Megan Pierce. She is a two-time national champion in the 400 IM and has earned an additional six All-America titles. She is likely to swim the 400 IM, 1,650 free and 200 fly. She currently holds top ten times in all three events, but will easily move up the ranks this weekend as NESCAC schools do not have a true rested meet like most other Division III teams do in December. For the fourth year in a row, Pierce will lead the Ephs to victory.
Valerie Urban (Connecticut, distance free) – While it is apparent that the Williams women will take over the NESCAC Championships, one of the top non-Williams swimmers to watch is Connecticut senior Valerie Urban. After earning Honorable Mention All-America honors in the 1,650 at last year’s NCAA Championships, she will be looking to improve even more this time around. She holds the top seed in the 1,000, and even though this is not an NCAA event, winning it would give her the confidence she needs headed into the mile the next day against Pierce. She will need to perform here to qualify for NCAAs; her 17:24.09 from January currently puts her sixteenth, but will not hold up through the next two weeks. She will also compete in the 500, where she holds the fourth seed.

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North Coast Athletic Conference, Feb. 8-11

Photo Courtesy: Allen Rich

Participating Institutions:

Allegheny College, Denison University, DePauw University, Hiram College, Kenyon College, Oberlin College, Ohio Wesleyan University, Wabash College, Wittenberg University, College of Wooster

Swimmers to Watch:

Anglea Newlon (DePauw, distance) – Newlon holds the top seed for NCACs in all three of her events: 500 free, 1,650 free and 400 IM. She also holds the fastest time this year in all of Division III in the mile. She ranks second in the 500 behind Emory’s Chen. The senior has placed as high as third at NCAAs, and is on the right track toward winning the mile this go around. Her toughest competition in March will be the same duo she will compete against this weekend; Denison’s Campbell Costley and Kenyon’s defending-national-champion Marysol Arce will also be looking to claim the title. All three swimmers are well off their bests from last season so far, but you can expect them to bring these times down this weekend. The women’s 1,650 will definitely be one of the best NCAC races to watch this year.
Kt Kustritz (Denison, breaststroke) – Freshman Kustritz will make an immediate impact on the NCAC and NCAA meets. She sits second in the national rankings in the 100 and 200 breast and 200 IM, but will opt for the 100 IM over the 200 breast at the conference level. This will leave a big opening for the Kenyon breaststrokers in this event, as they have the potential to go one-two with Julia Wilson and Ellie Crawford. Without Wilson in the 100 breast, Kustritz should take the race in dominant fashion. As interesting as it is that these two avoided each other for NCACs, the 100 breast at NCAAs between these two will be quite the show.
Arthur Conover (Kenyon, distance) – What Andrew Wilson is to the UAA, Conover is essentially to the NCAC. Do not expect anybody to be anywhere near Conover in the mile. His seed time is 51 seconds faster than the next closest competitor. His 14:56.44 from December was his first time under the 15:00 mark, and puts him more than 20 seconds ahead of the next closest swimmer nation-wide. It is unlikely for him to go much faster or match his time from December, but Conover, a senior, will be looking to re-claim his national title in this event in a few weeks. He will also race the 200 and 500 freestyles, where he will face Denison’s Stuart Hohm. Hohm’s best chance at stealing an event from Conover is the 200, where less than half a second separates the two competitors.
Jack Lindell (Denison, IM) – Lindell will have the top seeds in all three of his events this weekend, including the 200 back, 200 IM and 400 IM. He is the fastest in the nation so far in the backstroke and 400 IM, and sits third in the 200 IM. After winning all three of these events at last year’s NCAAs, Lindell will know what it takes to get the win. He will not have easy wins, but should not have any trouble getting to the wall first this weekend. At NCAAs, he will face a tough Andrew Wilson, Evan Holder pair in the 200 IM so he will have his work cut out for him. Regardless, Lindell knows how to swim fast when it matters, which will come in handy over the next month.

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Suzanne Lobs Larson

7 years ago

Katherine Walton McCauley, Terry McCann Bagley and Wendy Szymczak. See this? Go Thunder!

Aaron Guo

7 years ago

Taye Baldinazzo

Michael LeMay

7 years ago

Reply to Aaron Guo

Challenge the shit out of him Taye

Rolland Lee

7 years ago

Reply to Aaron Guo

No beard –> no problem

Heather Malzahn Roff

7 years ago

Murron

Charlene Tallen

7 years ago

Go get ’em KT!!!

Elaine Ang

7 years ago

Go Maroon, Go Uchicago!

Karine Zeidan

7 years ago

Julia Wilson

7 years ago

Reply to Karine Zeidan

Lol

Laurie

7 years ago

Swim fast Emily Rollo!!!