Georgia Wright Breaks NCAA Division II Record in 1000 to Start Off Championships

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

The 2020 NCAA Division II swimming and diving championships opened up Wednesday night from Geneva, Ohio as one NCAA Division II record fell. The McKendree men and Queens women lead the competition after day one finals.

Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 8                      
 
  1. Queens (Nc)                       115   2. Drury                             111
  3. UC - San Diego                    105   4. Indy                               65
  5. Wingate                            59   6. Lindenwood                         51
  7. Nova S'Eastern                     49   8. Tampa                              45
  9. West Florida                       36   9. Grand Valley                       36
 11. St. Cloud St.-M                    34  12. West Chester                       31
 13. Carson-Newman                      30  14. Wayne State                        28
 15. Azusa Pacific                      22  16. Mines                              17
 17. Clarion University                 15  18. Fresno Pacific                     14
 18. Northern Michigan                  14  18. Bellarmine                         14
 21. Delta State                        10  22. Bloomsburg                          7
 23. McKendree                           6  24. Findlay                             4
 25. Csu East Bay                        3  25. Augustana                           3
 27. Colorado Mesa                       2  27. Lynn                                2
 27. Sioux Falls                         2

Men - Team Rankings - Through Event 9                       
 
  1. McKendree                          92   2. Delta State                        70
  3. Nova S'Eastern                   68.5   4. Queens (Nc)                        63
  5. Drury                              61   6. Indy                               56
  7. UC - San Diego                   47.5   8. Fresno Pacific                     41
  9. Missouri S & T                     36  10. Lindenwood                         34
 10. Emmanuel                           34  12. Carson-Newman                      33
 13. Wingate                            32  14. Grand Valley                       30
 15. Simon Fraser                     14.5  16. Lewis                            12.5
 17. Northern Michigan                   7  18. Colorado Mesa                       6
 19. Tampa                               5  19. Wayne State                         5
 21. St. Cloud St.-M                     2  21. Findlay                             2
 23. Saint Leo                           1

The one NCAA record to fall on Wednesday came in the very first event as Georgia Wright swam a 9:43.70, breaking her own record of 9:45.86 that she set in winning last year. Wright won ahead of Mia Wood (9:50.96) of Mines and Erica Dahlgren (9:56.67) of Drury.

The McKendree men are leading the competition through the first four events as they got a win from freshman Fabio Dalu in the 1000 (8:59.50) to start the night. He won by six seconds over Niels Engeln of Lindenwood (9:05.13) and Vincent Lijoli of Nova Southeastern (9:06.53).

McKendree also closed the night with a win in the 200 medley relay with a 1:25.29, just missing the NCAA record of 1:24.83 set by Queens in 2018. The team of DaVante Carey (21.45), John Heaphy (23.82), Gregg Lichinsky (20.57) and Alexander Skinner (19.45) barely beat conference rival Indianapolis (1:25.80) in second place.

The Queens women are leading the competition as they are going for their sixth straight national title this weekend. The Royals won the 200 medley relay to close out the night with a 1:39.59 as the team of Rachel Massaro (24.86), Mikaela Fullerton (27.84), Georgia DaCruz (24.02) and Alexandria Baker (22.87) won ahead of UC San Diego (1:39.96) and Nova Southeastern (1:40.13).

Queens also got an individual win from Alexandria Baker in the 200 IM as she won with a 2:00.00, just ahead of UC San Diego’s Tina Reuter (2:00.28) and Drury’s Rebecca Cross (2:00.29).

Delta State’s Emmanuel Fava won the 200 IM (1:44.10) and UC San Diego’s Spencer Daily won the 50 free (19.58). Drury’s Bailee Nunn took the 50 free at 22.36.

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