Georgia Wright, Alex Kunert Set Division II NCAA Records in 1000 Freestyle

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

West Chester University’s Georgia Wright and Queens University’s Alex Kunert each took home a title and Division II NCAA Record in the 100 Freestyle on night one of the NCAA Division II Men’s & Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships.

Wright, a junior, originally set the mark as a first-year swimmer in 2017. She won the event at last year’s Championships as well, but with a time three seconds off the record set by Nova Southeastern’s Emma Sundstedt in December of 2017. Wright has now re-gained the mark and won her third title in a row in this event.

Six days after winning the 200 fly at the TYR Pro Swim Series at Des Moines, Kunert won his first NCAA title in Meet and National Record fashion. The swim was Kunert’s third time doing the 1000 and a personal best by two seconds.

Women’s 1000 Freestyle

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Delta State’s senior Caroline Jouisse went out fast and ultimately took fourth in 9:56.63. Queens’ Francesca Bains was the first to take over the lead, but West Chester’s Georgia Wright began to move at about the 500 mark, where she flipped ahead of record pace.

Wright opened up a significant gap on that record, defending her National Title in 9:45.86, six seconds faster than the time she won in last year. Wright set a new National Record, perviously held by Emma Sundstedt of Nova Southeastern in 9:46.63. Sundstedt touched third in 9:44.96. Bains was runner up in 9:51.13.

Event 1  Women 1000 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
     NCAA DII: N 9:46.63  12/15/2017Emma Sundstedt, Nova S'eastern
         Meet: M 9:48.87  3/8/2017  Georgia Wright, West Chester
    Name                 Year School               Seed     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
  1 Wright, Georgia        JR West Chester     10:00.72    9:45.86N  20  
    r:+0.77  27.74        57.11 (29.37)
        1:26.60 (29.49)     1:56.19 (29.59)
        2:25.81 (29.62)     2:55.31 (29.50)
        3:25.01 (29.70)     3:54.54 (29.53)
        4:24.24 (29.70)     4:53.79 (29.55)
        5:22.91 (29.12)     5:52.24 (29.33)
        6:21.50 (29.26)     6:50.75 (29.25)
        7:19.99 (29.24)     7:49.19 (29.20)
        8:18.45 (29.26)     8:47.61 (29.16)
        9:16.88 (29.27)     9:45.86 (28.98)
  2 Bains, Francesca       SO Queens (NC)       9:59.12    9:51.13   17  
    r:+0.74  27.62        57.01 (29.39)
        1:26.46 (29.45)     1:56.01 (29.55)
        2:25.75 (29.74)     2:55.31 (29.56)
        3:24.77 (29.46)     3:54.35 (29.58)
        4:23.96 (29.61)     4:53.58 (29.62)
        5:23.31 (29.73)     5:52.88 (29.57)
        6:22.53 (29.65)     6:52.06 (29.53)
        7:21.73 (29.67)     7:51.26 (29.53)
        8:20.97 (29.71)     8:50.98 (30.01)
        9:21.34 (30.36)     9:51.13 (29.79)
  3 Sundstedt, Emma        SO Nova S'eastern    9:56.66    9:55.96   16  
    r:+0.83  27.33        56.83 (29.50)
        1:26.73 (29.90)     1:56.62 (29.89)
        2:26.65 (30.03)     2:56.68 (30.03)
        3:26.76 (30.08)     3:56.54 (29.78)
        4:26.54 (30.00)     4:56.54 (30.00)
        5:26.48 (29.94)     5:56.37 (29.89)
        6:26.12 (29.75)     6:55.93 (29.81)
        7:25.96 (30.03)     7:56.31 (30.35)
        8:26.60 (30.29)     8:57.21 (30.61)
        9:27.32 (30.11)     9:55.96 (28.64)
  4 Jouisse, Caroline      SR Delta State      10:04.83    9:56.63   15  
    r:+0.65  26.94        56.00 (29.06)
        1:25.31 (29.31)     1:54.98 (29.67)
        2:24.47 (29.49)     2:54.25 (29.78)
        3:24.15 (29.90)     3:54.14 (29.99)
        4:24.20 (30.06)     4:54.38 (30.18)
        5:24.58 (30.20)     5:54.89 (30.31)
        6:25.34 (30.45)     6:55.82 (30.48)
        7:26.58 (30.76)     7:57.04 (30.46)
        8:27.64 (30.60)     8:58.01 (30.37)
        9:28.00 (29.99)     9:56.63 (28.63)
  5 Goebel, Melina         JR Grand Valley     10:01.09    9:56.92   14  
    r:+0.78  27.55        57.23 (29.68)
        1:27.18 (29.95)     1:57.14 (29.96)
        2:27.15 (30.01)     2:57.11 (29.96)
        3:27.37 (30.26)     3:57.44 (30.07)
        4:27.77 (30.33)     4:58.02 (30.25)
        5:28.23 (30.21)     5:58.51 (30.28)
        6:28.74 (30.23)     6:58.62 (29.88)
        7:28.93 (30.31)     7:59.22 (30.29)
        8:29.15 (29.93)     8:59.21 (30.06)
        9:29.03 (29.82)     9:56.92 (27.89)
  6 Hellenschmidt, Jana    FR Lindenwood       10:11.21   10:01.90   13  
    r:+0.74  27.38        57.29 (29.91)
        1:27.56 (30.27)     1:57.55 (29.99)
        2:27.55 (30.00)     2:57.60 (30.05)
        3:28.00 (30.40)     3:58.38 (30.38)
        4:29.04 (30.66)     4:59.70 (30.66)
        5:30.17 (30.47)     6:00.74 (30.57)
        6:31.40 (30.66)     7:02.12 (30.72)
        7:32.82 (30.70)     8:03.25 (30.43)
        8:33.66 (30.41)     9:03.81 (30.15)
        9:33.60 (29.79)    10:01.90 (28.30)
  7 Reamy, Sarah           JR Queens (NC)       9:57.45   10:02.50   12  
    r:+0.69  27.97        57.53 (29.56)
        1:27.43 (29.90)     1:57.59 (30.16)
        2:27.72 (30.13)     2:58.11 (30.39)
        3:28.54 (30.43)     3:59.03 (30.49)
        4:29.64 (30.61)     5:00.21 (30.57)
        5:30.37 (30.16)     6:00.57 (30.20)
        6:30.80 (30.23)     7:00.90 (30.10)
        7:31.07 (30.17)     8:01.24 (30.17)
        8:31.68 (30.44)     9:02.16 (30.48)
        9:32.79 (30.63)    10:02.50 (29.71)
  8 Dahlgren, Erica        JR Drury            10:09.06   10:03.27   11  
    r:+0.83  27.56        56.92 (29.36)
        1:26.66 (29.74)     1:56.60 (29.94)
        2:26.48 (29.88)     2:56.49 (30.01)
        3:26.22 (29.73)     3:56.29 (30.07)
        4:26.38 (30.09)     4:56.76 (30.38)
        5:27.46 (30.70)     5:58.50 (31.04)
        6:29.69 (31.19)     7:00.06 (30.37)
        7:30.47 (30.41)     8:01.20 (30.73)
        8:31.47 (30.27)     9:02.24 (30.77)
        9:33.15 (30.91)    10:03.27 (30.12)

Men’s 1000 Freestyle

Photo Courtesy: Queens Athletics

Queens freshman Alex Kunert was out well ahead of the field, with a two body length lead at the halfway mark of the 1000 free. His fellow freshman teammate Luke Erwee turned second at the halfway point, a full body length ahead of third. In the final 250 yards Indy’s Adam Rosipal began to push the pace, chasing down Erwee and even making up ground on Kunert.

Kunert was first to the wall by a half pool, in a new meet and Division II record of 8:56.76, just four tenths under the old mark, an 8:57.06 set by Drury’s Mitch Snyder in 2009. Rosipal was second to the wall in 9:03.08 while Erwee held on for third in 9:04.37.

Event 2  Men 1000 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
     NCAA DII: N 8:57.06  3/11/2009 Mitch Snyder, Drury
         Meet: M 8:57.06  3/11/2009 Mitch Snyder, Drury
    Name                 Year School               Seed     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
  1 Kunert, Alex           FR Queens (NC)       8:58.46    8:56.76N  20  
    r:+0.64  22.94        48.43 (25.49)
        1:14.64 (26.21)     1:41.16 (26.52)
        2:07.74 (26.58)     2:34.19 (26.45)
        3:00.67 (26.48)     3:27.57 (26.90)
        3:54.73 (27.16)     4:22.26 (27.53)
        4:49.82 (27.56)     5:17.39 (27.57)
        5:45.07 (27.68)     6:12.85 (27.78)
        6:40.77 (27.92)     7:08.59 (27.82)
        7:36.10 (27.51)     8:03.68 (27.58)
        8:31.08 (27.40)     8:56.76 (25.68)
  2 Rosipal, Adam          SO Indy              9:13.22    9:03.08   17  
    r:+0.73  24.71        51.98 (27.27)
        1:19.60 (27.62)     1:47.45 (27.85)
        2:15.18 (27.73)     2:42.57 (27.39)
        3:10.03 (27.46)     3:37.65 (27.62)
        4:05.28 (27.63)     4:32.79 (27.51)
        5:00.04 (27.25)     5:27.23 (27.19)
        5:54.35 (27.12)     6:21.37 (27.02)
        6:48.51 (27.14)     7:15.62 (27.11)
        7:42.70 (27.08)     8:09.92 (27.22)
        8:36.92 (27.00)     9:03.08 (26.16)
  3 Erwee, Luke            FR Queens (NC)       9:13.35    9:04.37   16  
    r:+0.70  23.77        50.23 (26.46)
        1:16.80 (26.57)     1:43.88 (27.08)
        2:11.12 (27.24)     2:38.65 (27.53)
        3:06.41 (27.76)     3:34.17 (27.76)
        4:01.34 (27.17)     4:28.76 (27.42)
        4:56.34 (27.58)     5:24.18 (27.84)
        5:51.69 (27.51)     6:19.73 (28.04)
        6:47.82 (28.09)     7:15.90 (28.08)
        7:43.57 (27.67)     8:11.17 (27.60)
        8:38.34 (27.17)     9:04.37 (26.03)
  4 Sawicki, Nathan        SR Delta State       9:05.31    9:07.69   15  
    r:+0.77  24.92        52.12 (27.20)
        1:19.85 (27.73)     1:47.68 (27.83)
        2:15.54 (27.86)     2:43.50 (27.96)
        3:11.60 (28.10)     3:39.49 (27.89)
        4:07.51 (28.02)     4:35.13 (27.62)
        5:02.75 (27.62)     5:30.22 (27.47)
        5:57.67 (27.45)     6:25.19 (27.52)
        6:52.66 (27.47)     7:20.02 (27.36)
        7:47.37 (27.35)     8:14.55 (27.18)
        8:41.68 (27.13)     9:07.69 (26.01)
  5 Samuelsen, Tim         JR Missouri S & T    9:19.75    9:09.38   14  
    r:+0.79  25.55        52.73 (27.18)
        1:19.96 (27.23)     1:47.16 (27.20)
        2:14.37 (27.21)     2:41.50 (27.13)
        3:08.81 (27.31)     3:36.23 (27.42)
        4:03.84 (27.61)     4:31.23 (27.39)
        4:58.63 (27.40)     5:25.99 (27.36)
        5:53.66 (27.67)     6:21.37 (27.71)
        6:49.26 (27.89)     7:17.09 (27.83)
        7:45.05 (27.96)     8:12.94 (27.89)
        8:41.37 (28.43)     9:09.38 (28.01)
  6 Woinoski, Andrew       JR Simon Fraser      9:25.92    9:09.87   13  
    r:+0.71  25.18        52.17 (26.99)
        1:19.53 (27.36)     1:46.95 (27.42)
        2:14.45 (27.50)     2:42.09 (27.64)
        3:09.66 (27.57)     3:37.41 (27.75)
        4:05.15 (27.74)     4:32.70 (27.55)
        5:00.18 (27.48)     5:27.85 (27.67)
        5:55.54 (27.69)     6:23.30 (27.76)
        6:51.14 (27.84)     7:19.07 (27.93)
        7:47.19 (28.12)     8:15.23 (28.04)
        8:43.21 (27.98)     9:09.87 (26.66)
  7 Hamill, Mackenzie      SR Simon Fraser      9:19.47    9:11.59   12  
    r:+0.73  24.68        51.29 (26.61)
        1:18.27 (26.98)     1:45.46 (27.19)
        2:12.88 (27.42)     2:40.51 (27.63)
        3:08.13 (27.62)     3:35.89 (27.76)
        4:03.52 (27.63)     4:31.40 (27.88)
        4:59.29 (27.89)     5:27.44 (28.15)
        5:55.55 (28.11)     6:23.72 (28.17)
        6:52.00 (28.28)     7:20.40 (28.40)
        7:48.27 (27.87)     8:16.34 (28.07)
        8:44.25 (27.91)     9:11.59 (27.34)
  8 Hanzal, Jan            FR Lindenwood        9:16.10    9:13.05   11  
    r:+0.62  24.69        52.21 (27.52)
        1:20.45 (28.24)     1:48.49 (28.04)
        2:16.24 (27.75)     2:44.17 (27.93)
        3:12.35 (28.18)     3:40.44 (28.09)
        4:08.65 (28.21)     4:36.83 (28.18)
        5:04.69 (27.86)     5:32.50 (27.81)
        6:00.44 (27.94)     6:28.24 (27.80)
        6:56.00 (27.76)     7:23.83 (27.83)
        7:51.57 (27.74)     8:19.08 (27.51)
        8:46.53 (27.45)     9:13.05 (26.52)

The second night of competition will feature Kunert as the top seed in the 200 Freestyle, while Wright will compete in the 500 and 1650 Freestyles later on in the week.

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