Division III Recap: Tom Gordon Returns, Maddie Ford Surprises Williams

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A number of NCAA Division III teams were back to racing this weekend. In the weeks leading into Championships season most teams are racing tired, and few swims approach the top of the National rankings, but there were many close races, good challenges, and indications of where people and teams stand, a month out from the first round of Conference Championships.

Emory at Florida Southern

After not racing at Emory’s semester ending meet, the Denison Invite, Tom Gordon is back in the game. This weekend he was back to being Emory’s top distance swimmer, winning the 1000 in 9:38.75 (the fastest time in DIII this weekend ) and touching second in the 500 with a 4:44.20. Trey Kolleck won the 50 free in 21.15 and the 100 in 46.20. Ethan Sternberg was the team’s other male winner, claiming the 200 breaststroke in 2:11.78.

The Eagle women went one-two-three in the 200 free, led by Fiona Muir (1:55.39). Muir led a sweep of the 100 free in 53.31. They also took the top four spots in the 200 fly, with Maria Turcanu (2:08.67) winning the event.

Men’s 200 Breaststroke Showdowns

In a dual meet between NYU and USMMA on Friday, two swimmers posted two of the three fastest 200 breaststroke times in the country this weekend. NYU freshman Justin Lum got to the 50 wall in 29.47, just .02 ahead of USMMA junior Nolan Monahan. Lum built a lead over the middle 100. Despite a stronger closing 50 yards from Monahan, Lum prevailed in 2:06.31, less than a second ahead of Monahan in 2:07.17. Monahan’s teammate Patrick Tolloti wasn’t far back, touching in 2:09.61, the 10th best time of the weekend.

In Connecticut on Saturday, two of the NEWMAC’s top breaststrokers went head to head. Coast Guard sophomore Eric Fuhs led by a narrow margin the whole way, touching in 2:07.57, to MIT’s Brandon Yue in 2:08.13.

Williams at Conn College: A 200 Free Surprise

After racing Amherst last weekend, Williams College traveled to NESACAC foe Connecticut College on Saturday. While the Ephs came away with the win, Conn still put together some impressive swims. Sophomore Maddie Ford clocked a 1:53.58 200 freestyle. Behind her were a trio of Williams swimmers: Molly Craig (1:54.23), Gwyneth Maloy (1:55.43), and Georgia Panitz (1:56.59). Those were four of the fastest times in Division III this weekend.

Not only was Ford’s swim the fastest in Division III this weekend, it was a huge lifetime best, chopping a second and a half off the 1:55.00 she went at NESCACs last year. Ford was on fire this weekend, also swimming the fastest 100 free in Division III this weekend, a 52.73, her second best ever time.

Other swims of note:

Hayden Hill, a sophomore at Rhodes College, went a 1:51.89 in the 200 fly in a dual meet against Henderson State. That was the weekend’s fastest time by nearly three seconds, and is also only three seconds off Hill’s lifetime best, a 1:48.59 that currently sits fifth in Division III this year.

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