2017 NCAA Division III National Championships: Emory Extends Lead With One Day Left

Photo Courtesy: Allen Rich

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It was a record night for the Division III Championships as three individual men’s national records fell, alongside the women’s 800 free relay national record.

Emory continued to extend their lead over the competition with a whopping 471.5 points on the women’s side and 325 on the men’s.

You can find our individual pre-meet predictions for the women’s meet here and the men’s predictions are available as well. Stay updated throughout the meet via our 2016-17 Division III Landing Page and live results.

Women’s 200 Fly

NCAA Record: 1:55.66 – Logan Todhunter, Williams (2012)
2016 Champion: 2:00.53 – Amanda Stadermann, Washington University

Megan Pierce of Williams uncorked a 1:59.76 to blast past the two-minute mark in the women’s 200 fly. Tonight’s win adds another gold to her collection after claiming victory in the 400 IM last night.

RPI’s Shanny Lin posted a second place finish of 2:01.30, scraping .88 seconds off her prelims time of 2:02.18. She was followed closely by Ursinus’ Meggie Leitz, who moved up from her sixth place seed to claim the bronze medal with a 2:01.63.

Veronica Wolff, also of Williams, picked up fourth with a final time of 2:01.77, while St. Thomas’ Katelyn Strauss was fifth with a 2:01.83.

Grove City’s Anne Dassow (2:02.01), Johns Hopkins’ Abigail Brown (2:02.09), and Emory’s Megan Campbell (2:04.38) rounded out the top eight.

                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Pierce, Megan          SR Williams          2:00.68    1:59.76   20  
                 27.48        58.27 (30.79)
        1:28.73 (30.46)     1:59.76 (31.03)
  2 Lin, Shanny            JR RPI               2:02.18    2:01.30   17  
                 27.15        57.90 (30.75)
        1:29.55 (31.65)     2:01.30 (31.75)
  3 Leitz, Meggie          JR Ursinus           2:02.49    2:01.63   16  
                 26.84        57.41 (30.57)
        1:28.63 (31.22)     2:01.63 (33.00)
  4 Wolff, Veronica        FR Williams          2:02.20    2:01.77   15  
                 27.28        58.41 (31.13)
        1:29.44 (31.03)     2:01.77 (32.33)
  5 Strauss, Katelyn       SO St. Thomas        2:02.00    2:01.83   14  
                 27.14        57.56 (30.42)
        1:29.02 (31.46)     2:01.83 (32.81)
  6 Dassow, Anne           FR Grove City        2:02.61    2:02.01   13  
                 27.55        58.48 (30.93)
        1:29.96 (31.48)     2:02.01 (32.05)
  7 Brown, Abigail         SR Johns Hopkins     2:03.13    2:02.09   12  
                 27.80        58.71 (30.91)
        1:30.48 (31.77)     2:02.09 (31.61)
  8 Campbell, Megan        JR Emory             2:02.25    2:04.38   11  
                 27.64        58.73 (31.09)
        1:31.04 (32.31)     2:04.38 (33.34)

Men’s 200 Fly

NCAA Record: 1:44.93 – Alex Anderson, Mary Washington (2015)
2016 Champion: 1:47.28 – Douglas Kogut, MIT

After posting a personal best time by more than two seconds in prelims, Brandon Lum of Wash. U in Missouri arrived in finals ready to race. The sophomore held strong throughout the race, pushing to a final time of 1:44.56 — a new Division III record. His time takes down Mary Washington’s Alex Anderson’s time of 1:44.93 from 2015.

MIT freshman Bouke Edskes held close to Lum, finishing second overall with a 1:45.69, improving by close to two seconds from his prelims time of 1:47.64.

NYU’s Carlos Colmenares, also a freshman, jumped up to third on the podium with a 1:47.13 finish, followed by Emory senior Christian Baker and his time of 1:47.65.

Jonathan Zimdars of Kenyon grabbed fifth overall with a 1:47.84, while NYU’s Ian Rainey was sixth with a 1:47.92.

Carnegie Mellon’s Mitchell Riek and Amherst’s Samuel Spurrell touched seventh and eighth respectively with 1:48.92 and 1:49.74 respectively.

                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Lum, Brandon           SO Wash U. MO        1:46.33    1:44.56   20  
                 24.08        50.08 (26.00)
        1:16.64 (26.56)     1:44.56 (27.92)
  2 Edskes, Bouke          FR MIT               1:47.64    1:45.69   17  
                 24.34        51.39 (27.05)
        1:18.47 (27.08)     1:45.69 (27.22)
  3 Colmenares, Carlos     FR NYU               1:47.76    1:47.13   16  
                 23.94        51.08 (27.14)
        1:18.88 (27.80)     1:47.13 (28.25)
  4 Baker, Christian       SR Emory             1:48.14    1:47.65   15  
                 23.97        50.78 (26.81)
        1:18.26 (27.48)     1:47.65 (29.39)
  5 Zimdars, Jonathon      SO Kenyon            1:48.67    1:47.84   14  
                 24.93        52.42 (27.49)
        1:20.33 (27.91)     1:47.84 (27.51)
  6 Rainey, Ian            JR NYU               1:47.02    1:47.92   13  
                 24.20        51.36 (27.16)
        1:19.21 (27.85)     1:47.92 (28.71)
  7 Riek, Mitchell         SO Carnegie Mellon   1:48.77    1:48.92   12  
                 24.53        52.12 (27.59)
        1:20.12 (28.00)     1:48.92 (28.80)
  8 Spurrell, Samuel       JR Amherst           1:48.56    1:49.74   11  
                 24.32        51.86 (27.54)
        1:20.28 (28.42)     1:49.74 (29.46)

Women’s 100 Back

NCAA Record: 53.46 – Celia Oberholzer, Kenyon (2013)
2016 Champion: 54.43 – Emma Paulson, St. Thomas

It was a photo finish for Emory’s Cindy Cheng as she claimed the 100 back title by the narrowest of margins: .01 seconds. Cheng stopped the clock at a 54.41, just ahead of teammate Caroline Olson and her time of 54.42.

St. Thomas’ Emma Paulson touched third overall with a 54.54 to collect bronze and be the last swimmer beneath the 55-second mark.

Olivia Jackson of Williams took home fourth with a time of 55.25, followed by Washington and Lee’s Emily Rollo, who touched with a time of 55.53.

Rose-Hulman’s Eleanore Hong (55.76), Emory’s Claire Liu (55.88), and Bates’ Sara Daher (55.98) completed the heat.

                      === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Cheng, Cindy           JR Emory               54.89      54.41   20  
                 26.01        54.41 (28.40)
  2 Olson, Caroline        FR Emory               54.94      54.42   17  
                 26.48        54.42 (27.94)
  3 Paulson, Emma          SR St. Thomas          55.07      54.54   16  
                 26.24        54.54 (28.30)
  4 Jackson, Olivia        SR Williams            55.35      55.25   15  
                 27.07        55.25 (28.18)
  5 Rollo, Emily           SR W & L               55.75      55.53   14  
                 26.80        55.53 (28.73)
  6 Hong, Eleanore         SR Rose-Hulman         55.72      55.76   13  
                 27.08        55.76 (28.68)
  7 Liu, Claire            SR Emory               55.56      55.88   12  
                 26.76        55.88 (29.12)
  8 Daher, Sara            SR Bates               55.49      55.98   11  
                 27.43        55.98 (28.55)

Men’s 100 Back

NCAA Record: 46.93 – Ben Lin, Williams (2017)
2016 Champion: 47.57 – Matthew Williams, Claremont Mudd-Scripps

Benjamin Lin of Williams picked up his second individual win of the championships with another record-breaking swim. Lin took down his own NCAA record, set just one day ago, with a sizzling 46.62.

It was a battle for second as CMS’ Matthew Williams and Emory’s Sage Ono powered to the wall behind Lin, ultimately finishing just .03 seconds apart. Williams claimed the silver with a 47.90, while Ono settled for third and a 47.93.

NYU’s Chad Moody posted a fourth place finish of 4822, just ahead of Williams’ Timothy Kostolansky and his time of 48.91. Fresh on Kostolansky’s heels was Tuft’s Kingsley Bowen and his time of 48.99.

John Bauer of WPI and Emile Kuyl of John Hopkins completed the top heat with times of 49.02 and 49.64 respectively.

                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Lin, Ben               SR Williams            47.75      46.62   20  
                 22.17        46.62 (24.45)
  2 Williams, Matt         SR Claremont MS        48.83      47.90   17  
                 23.25        47.90 (24.65)
  3 Ono, Sage              FR Emory               48.67      47.93   16  
                 22.74        47.93 (25.19)
  4 Moody, Chad            JR NYU                 48.23      48.22   15  
                 23.31        48.22 (24.91)
  5 Kostolansky, Timothy   JR Williams            48.87      48.91   14  
                 23.50        48.91 (25.41)
  6 Bowen, Kingsley        SO Tufts               48.61      48.99   13  
                 23.76        48.99 (25.23)
  7 Bauer, Jack            SO WPI                 48.82      49.02   12  
                 23.62        49.02 (25.40)
  8 Kuyl, Emile            SO Johns Hopkins       48.65      49.64   11  
                 24.05        49.64 (25.59)

Women’s 100 Breast

NCAA Record: 1:00.54 – Lindsay Payne, Williams (2006)
2016 Champion: 1:01.01 – Samantha Senczyszyn, UW-Eau Claire

Samantha Senczyszyn of UW-Eau Claire successfully defended her national title in the women’s 100 breast, scorching the ‘A’ final with the only sub 1:02 finish. Senczyszyn stopped the clock at a final time of 1:01.64 for the gold.

Denison freshman KT Kustritz posted a second place finish of 1:02.45, followed by Kenyon’s Julia Wilson and her time of 1:02.59.

Emily Medeiros of Springfield touched fourth overall with a final time of 1:02.69, just ahead of Williams’ freshman Caroline White’s 1:02.77.

Emory’s Hannah Lally (1:02.84), Wheaton’s Erin Bagley (1:03.07), and Denison’s Katherine Mesaros (1:03.22) were sixth through eighth.

Of note, Emory senior Annelise Kowalsky topped the ‘B’ final with a 1:01.92, a time which would have placed second overall in the ‘A’ final.

                      === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Senczyszyn, Sam        SO UW-Eau Claire     1:01.88    1:01.64   20  
                 28.94      1:01.64 (32.70)
  2 Kustritz, KT           FR Denison           1:02.25    1:02.45   17  
                 29.98      1:02.45 (32.47)
  3 Wilson, Julia          JR Kenyon            1:02.69    1:02.59   16  
                 29.31      1:02.59 (33.28)
  4 Medeiros, Emily        SR Springfield       1:02.98    1:02.69   15  
                 29.37      1:02.69 (33.32)
  5 White, Caroline        FR Williams          1:03.05    1:02.77   14  
                 29.52      1:02.77 (33.25)
  6 Lally, Hannah          SO Emory             1:02.58    1:02.84   13  
                 29.48      1:02.84 (33.36)
  7 Bagley, Erin           SR Wheaton IL        1:03.19    1:03.07   12  
                 29.44      1:03.07 (33.63)
  8 Mesaros, Katherine     FR Denison           1:03.22    1:03.22   11  
                 29.67      1:03.22 (33.55)
 
                        === Consolation Final ===                        
 
  9 Kowalsky, Annelise     SR Emory             1:03.32    1:01.92    9  
                 29.43      1:01.92 (32.49)

Men’s 100 Breast

NCAA Record: 51.02 – Andrew Wilson, Emory (2017)
2016 Champion: 53.67 – Kyle Walthall, York

The men’s 100 breast highlighted by a trio of senior athletes leading the field to history and fast swims.

Emory senior Andrew Wilson continued to flex his breaststroke prowess with a dominating swim in the men’s 100 breast. Wilson unleashed a 50.94 to take down his own NCAA record of 51.14, set in 2016, and add another gold to his collection. Wilson’s time currently stands as the fastest 100 breast time throughout all three of the men’s divisions for the 2016-17 season.

Michael Lagieski of Wash U in St. Louis posted a second place finish of 53.86, while John Hopkins’ Evan Holder rounded out the podium with a 54.04.

NYU’s Timothy Kou touched fourth overall with a time of 54.29, followed by Chicago’s Reona Yamaguchi’s 54.66.

The field narrowed further between the sixth through eighth place athletes as Coast Guard’s Chasse Sodemann (54.75), Gustavus’ Tanner Sonnek (54.81), and Depauw’s Samuel McManus (54.94) rounded out the top heat.

                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Wilson, Andrew         SR Emory               51.02      50.94   20  
                 23.91        50.94 (27.03)
  2 Lagieski, Michael      SR Wash U. MO          54.64      53.86   17  
                 25.50        53.86 (28.36)
  3 Holder, Evan           SR Johns Hopkins       54.44      54.04   16  
                 25.22        54.04 (28.82)
  4 Kou, Timothy           JR NYU                 54.36      54.29   15  
                 25.74        54.29 (28.55)
  5 Yamaguchi, Reona       FR Chicago             55.11      54.66   14  
                 25.50        54.66 (29.16)
  6 Sodemann, Chasse       SO Coast Guard         54.67      54.75   13  
                 25.57        54.75 (29.18)
  7 Sonnek, Tanner         SO Gustavus            55.24      54.81   12  
                 26.03        54.81 (28.78)
  8 McManus, Samuel        JR DePauw              55.25      54.94   11  
                 26.15        54.94 (28.79)

Women’s 800 Free Relay

NCAA Record: 7:18.15 – Thompson, Todhunter, Geller, Wilson (Williams – 2012)
2016 Champion: 7:18.50 – Thompson, Cheng, Bergh, Wawer (Emory)

It was a sweet moment for Emory and a bitter-sweet moment for Kenyon, as both teams finished beneath the existing NCAA record of 7:18.15.

The two teams held a tight battle throughout the entirety of the race, but a strong anchor leg from Emory’s Cindy Cheng propelled Emory to a narrow victory and a new national record. Teammates Fiona Muir (1:47.84), Julia Wawer (1:50.15), Marissa Bergh (1:50.04), and Cheng (1:46.95) stopped the clock at a sizzling 7:14.98 to erase the 2012 record set by Williams.

Kenyon’s Julia Green (1:50.30), Delaney Ambrosen (1:49.45), Hannah Orbach-Mandel (1:47.79), and Abby Wilson (1:47.54) turned in a second place finish of 7:15.08 for the silver.

Nicole Zanolli (1:49.09), Niamh O’Grady (1:50.96), Cara Lopiano (1:51.40), and Hannah Eastman (1:50.47) of Wash U in St. Louis completed the top three with a final time of 7:21.92.

Chicago finished fourth with a 7:22.15, followed by Williams’ 7:22.47.

Calvin (7:28.72), MIT (7:29.95), and NYU (7:30.28) completed the top eight.

  1 Emory                               7:21.36    7:14.98   40  
     1) Muir, Fiona SO                2) Wawer, Julia JR              
     3) Bergh, Marissa SR             4) Cheng, Cindy JR              
                 24.38        51.86 (51.86)
      1:19.69 (1:19.69)   1:47.84 (1:47.84)
        2:12.82 (24.98)     2:40.54 (52.70)
      3:09.00 (1:21.16)   3:37.99 (1:50.15)
        4:03.18 (25.19)     4:30.78 (52.79)
      4:59.13 (1:21.14)   5:28.03 (1:50.04)
        5:52.18 (24.15)     6:19.05 (51.02)
      6:46.73 (1:18.70)   7:14.98 (1:46.95)
  2 Kenyon                              7:19.82    7:15.08   34  
     1) Green, Julia FR               2) Ambrosen, Delaney SO         
     3) Orbach-Mandel, Hannah SO      4) Wilson, Abby SO              
                 26.18        53.89 (53.89)
      1:22.17 (1:22.17)   1:50.30 (1:50.30)
        2:15.52 (25.22)     2:42.90 (52.60)
      3:11.24 (1:20.94)   3:39.75 (1:49.45)
        4:04.46 (24.71)     4:31.93 (52.18)
      4:59.50 (1:19.75)   5:27.54 (1:47.79)
        5:52.24 (24.70)     6:19.13 (51.59)
      6:46.60 (1:19.06)   7:15.08 (1:47.54)
  3 Wash U. MO                          7:24.24    7:21.92   32  
     1) Zanolli, Nicole JR            2) O'Grady, Niamh JR            
     3) Collins, MariMac SR           4) Sapp, Lauren SO              
                 26.44        54.17 (54.17)
      1:21.69 (1:21.69)   1:49.09 (1:49.09)
        2:14.58 (25.49)     2:42.85 (53.76)
      3:11.80 (1:22.71)   3:40.05 (1:50.96)
        4:04.99 (24.94)     4:32.98 (52.93)
      5:02.08 (1:22.03)   5:31.45 (1:51.40)
        5:56.75 (25.30)     6:24.59 (53.14)
      6:52.93 (1:21.48)   7:21.92 (1:50.47)
  4 Chicago                             7:28.03    7:22.15   30  
     1) Wall, Alison SR               2) Scheidl, Maya SR             
     3) Lopiano, Cara SR              4) Eastman, Hannah SO           
                 25.84        53.70 (53.70)
      1:21.73 (1:21.73)   1:49.37 (1:49.37)
        2:13.35 (23.98)     2:40.70 (51.33)
      3:09.64 (1:20.27)   3:39.43 (1:50.06)
        4:05.41 (25.98)     4:33.92 (54.49)
      5:02.82 (1:23.39)   5:31.33 (1:51.90)
        5:57.01 (25.68)     6:25.43 (54.10)
      6:53.86 (1:22.53)   7:22.15 (1:50.82)
  5 Williams                            7:29.03    7:22.47   28  
     1) Wessell, Madeline FR          2) McNamara, Alison SO          
     3) Pierce, Megan SR              4) Jones, Lauren SR             
                 26.49        54.06 (54.06)
      1:21.83 (1:21.83)   1:51.65 (1:51.65)
        2:18.67 (27.02)     2:47.27 (55.62)
      3:15.62 (1:23.97)   3:43.77 (1:52.12)
        4:09.18 (25.41)     4:37.12 (53.35)
      5:05.69 (1:21.92)   5:34.26 (1:50.49)
        5:58.92 (24.66)     6:26.43 (52.17)
      6:54.23 (1:19.97)   7:22.47 (1:48.21)
  6 Calvin                              7:31.58    7:28.72   26  
     1) Smith, Madelyn SO             2) Serino, Anna SO              
     3) Murphy, Kendall SO            4) VanHarn, Abby JR             
                 26.83        55.42 (55.42)
      1:23.96 (1:23.96)   1:52.71 (1:52.71)
        2:18.97 (26.26)     2:47.11 (54.40)
      3:15.68 (1:22.97)   3:45.48 (1:52.77)
        4:11.43 (25.95)     4:39.98 (54.50)
      5:09.19 (1:23.71)   5:38.63 (1:53.15)
        6:03.24 (24.61)     6:31.69 (53.06)
      7:00.05 (1:21.42)   7:28.72 (1:50.09)
  7 MIT                                 7:31.09    7:29.95   24  
     1) Jedryka, Veronika SR          2) Thielking, Mary JR           
     3) Pan, Katharine FR             4) Chambers, Adelaide SO        
                 25.70        54.02 (54.02)
      1:23.06 (1:23.06)   1:52.58 (1:52.58)
        2:18.02 (25.44)     2:46.17 (53.59)
      3:14.80 (1:22.22)   3:43.62 (1:51.04)
        4:08.69 (25.07)     4:37.07 (53.45)
      5:06.82 (1:23.20)   5:37.34 (1:53.72)
        6:03.82 (26.48)     6:32.36 (55.02)
      7:01.10 (1:23.76)   7:29.95 (1:52.61)
  8 NYU                                 7:32.25    7:30.28   22  
     1) Leung, Noel SO                2) Wakabayashi, Grace SO        
     3) Bergh, Hannah JR              4) Bub, Hannah FR               
                 26.11        54.38 (54.38)
      1:23.32 (1:23.32)   1:51.75 (1:51.75)
        2:18.46 (26.71)     2:47.05 (55.30)
      3:15.71 (1:23.96)   3:44.39 (1:52.64)
        4:10.50 (26.11)     4:38.64 (54.25)
      5:07.24 (1:22.85)   5:36.71 (1:52.32)
        6:02.13 (25.42)     6:30.69 (53.98)
      7:00.53 (1:23.82)   7:30.28 (1:53.57)

Men’s 800 Free Relay

NCAA Record: 6:29.27 – Lordi, Kimball, Coggin, Schmidt (Johns Hopkins – 2013)
2016 Champion: 6:32.55 – Fleming, Lindell, Stevenson, Brunk (Denison)

The Denison men topped the competition in the men’s 800 free relay with a smooth finish of 6:30.72. The winning relay consisted of Wault Dauksher (1:37.43), Jackson Lindell (1:37.40), Stuart Hohm (1:38.10), and Bradley Stevenson (1:37.79).

Johns Hopkins’ Evan Holder (1:36.79), Andrew Greenhalgh (1:37.54), Davis Knox (1:39.31), and Michael Wohl (1:38.92) finished second overall with a combined time of 6:32,56.

Arthur Conover (1:37.03), Robert Williams (1:37.53), Ambert Sawaya (1:39.46), and Gabriel Bellott-Mcgrath (1:39.63) of Kenyon picked up third overall with a 6:33.64.

Emory took fourth with a time of 6:36.49, followed by TCNJ’s 6:38.84.

MIT (6:39.24), Claremont (6:40.17), and Williams (6:40.19) rounded out the top eight.

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