NCAA Division II Championships, Day 4 Prelims: Benjamin Sampson Chases Third Title in 100 Back

Photo Courtesy: Colorado Mesa

NCAA Division II Championships, Day 4 Prelims: Benjamin Sampson Chases Third Title in 100 Back

Benjamin Sampson has been in great form this week at the NCAA Division II Championships. The junior at Colorado Mesa set a national mark in the 400 individual medley Thursday night and won the 200 IM on Wednesday.

Friday night, he’ll chase his first title in the 100 backstroke after setting the pace in prelims with a time of 45.88 seconds. It’s .08 off his best in-season time, and he might have Marius Kusch’s NCAA record of 45.09 in his sights.

Sampson won the 200 back last year as well as the 200 IM in being named NCAA Division II Men’s Swimmer of the Year by CSCAA.

All the action from Day 4 at the SPIRE Institute:

Team Scores

Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 19                     
  1. Nova S'Eastern                    278   2. Drury                           227.5
  3. Colorado Mesa                   211.5   4. Indy                              176
  5. Lynn                              107   6. Tampa                              98
  7. West Florida                       93   8. Findlay                          92.5
  9. Wingate                            71  10. Augustana (W)                      70
 11. Clarion                            63  12. Simon Fraser                     61.5
 13. Wayne State                        59  14. Wcu                                48
 15. Grand Valley                       44  16. Delta State                        42
 17. Nmu                                41  18. Carson-Newman                      32
 19. Msu Mankato                        30  20. Azusa Pacific                    28.5
 21. Csu East Bay                       18  22. Henderson St.                      17
 22. McKendree                          17  24. Florida Southern                 15.5
 25. Oklahoma Christi                   14  26. Mines                              13
 27. Umsl                               10  27. Truman St.                         10
 29. Lewis                               8  30. Southern Conn                       7
 31. Emmanuel                            4  32. Unc- Pembroke                       3
 33. Davenport                           2  34. Bentley                             1

Men - Team Rankings - Through Event 20                      
  1. Tampa                             257   2. Drury                             209
  3. Indy                              188   4. McKendree                         147
  5. Colorado Mesa                     135   6. Nova S'Eastern                    108
  7. Grand Valley                      107   8. Findlay                           104
  9. Missouri S & T                     97  10. Henderson St.                      90
 11. Lewis                              83  12. Oklahoma Christi                   66
 13. Florida Southern                   65  14. Wayne State                        51
 15. Clarion                            39  16. Nmu                                38
 17. Carson-Newman                      36  18. Wingate                            30
 19. Wcu                                29  20. Simon Fraser                       28
 21. Delta State                        22  22. St. Cloud St.-M                    19
 23. Saginaw Valley                     16  24. UT of the Permian Basin             9
 25. Fresno Pacific                      6  25. Montevallo                          6
 25. Florida Tech                        6  28. Rollins                             5
 29. Ouachita                            4  30. Mines                               2
 31. Umsl                                1  31. Catawba                             1

Women’s 500 freestyle

After winning the 200 free and 1,000 free, it looks for all the world like the field is swimming for silver against Nova Southeastern’s Emily Trieschmann. The junior set the top time in prelims at 4:46.23. She’s been 4:44.12 this season. The NCAA record is 4:39.28, set in 2016 by Patri Castro Ortega of Queens.

Trieschmann was 5.5 seconds clear of the field in prelims. She has three teammates in the A final as the Sharks look to move toward a title, with Hailey Williams fourth and Ilaria Murzilli eighth.

Tori Meklensek of Simon Fraser was second in 4:51.71, .2 seconds over Montana White of Azusa Pacific. Wayne State has two A finalists.

Event 21  Women 500 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
     NCAA DII: N 4:39.28  3/11/2016 Patri Castro Ortega, Queens (NC)
         Meet: M 4:39.28  3/11/2016 Patri Castro Ortega, Queens (NC)
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Trieschmann, Emily     JR Nova S'eastern    4:44.12    4:46.23  
             26.04        54.21 (28.17)
        1:22.47 (28.26)     1:51.14 (28.67)
        2:20.08 (28.94)     2:49.05 (28.97)
        3:18.15 (29.10)     3:47.67 (29.52)
        4:17.27 (29.60)     4:46.23 (28.96)
  2 Meklensek, Tori        JR Simon Fraser      4:50.15    4:51.71  
             26.31        54.68 (28.37)
        1:23.63 (28.95)     1:53.23 (29.60)
        2:23.07 (29.84)     2:53.26 (30.19)
        3:23.19 (29.93)     3:53.10 (29.91)
        4:22.90 (29.80)     4:51.71 (28.81)
  3 White, Montana         JR Azusa Pacific     4:51.80    4:51.91  
             26.92        55.90 (28.98)
        1:25.57 (29.67)     1:55.70 (30.13)
        2:25.73 (30.03)     2:55.79 (30.06)
        3:25.41 (29.62)     3:54.70 (29.29)
        4:23.77 (29.07)     4:51.91 (28.14)
  4 Williams, Hailey       SO Nova S'eastern    4:51.12    4:52.33  
             26.26        54.62 (28.36)
        1:23.68 (29.06)     1:53.10 (29.42)
        2:22.76 (29.66)     2:52.38 (29.62)
        3:22.45 (30.07)     3:52.69 (30.24)
        4:22.86 (30.17)     4:52.33 (29.47)
  5 Fox, Jordan            5Y Wayne State       4:50.53    4:52.34  
             26.64        55.69 (29.05)
        1:25.06 (29.37)     1:54.61 (29.55)
        2:24.05 (29.44)     2:53.66 (29.61)
        3:23.08 (29.42)     3:52.84 (29.76)
        4:22.98 (30.14)     4:52.34 (29.36)
  6 Hansson, Olivia        SO Colorado Mesa     4:50.67    4:53.06  
             26.77        55.65 (28.88)
        1:24.97 (29.32)     1:54.65 (29.68)
        2:24.47 (29.82)     2:54.36 (29.89)
        3:24.24 (29.88)     3:54.19 (29.95)
        4:23.91 (29.72)     4:53.06 (29.15)
  7 Vassilakos, Allison    JR Wayne State       4:52.99    4:53.84  
             26.87        55.82 (28.95)
        1:25.33 (29.51)     1:55.29 (29.96)
        2:25.19 (29.90)     2:55.05 (29.86)
        3:24.98 (29.93)     3:54.87 (29.89)
        4:24.85 (29.98)     4:53.84 (28.99)
  8 Murzilli, Ilaria       JR Nova S'eastern    4:54.34    4:53.95  
             26.84        55.63 (28.79)
        1:24.70 (29.07)     1:53.85 (29.15)
        2:23.24 (29.39)     2:52.74 (29.50)
        3:22.48 (29.74)     3:52.85 (30.37)
        4:23.59 (30.74)     4:53.95 (30.36)

Men’s 500 freestyle

Tampa’s title aspirations get a big boost with the 500 free. Santiago Corredor led the way in prelims in 4:19.87, but with four swimmers of considerable pedigrees in the 4:21s, this race is wide open.

Mohamed Khalil Ben Ajmia of Wayne State was second in 4:21.18, .02 up on Tampa’s Jacob Hamlin. (The Spartans also pushed Barnabas Fluck into the A final in eighth.) Last year’s runner-up, Cedric Buessing of UIndy, was sixth in prelims, while the reigning bronze medalist Victor Rosado was fourth, the Oklahoma Christian junior, was fourth.

Event 22  Men 500 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
     NCAA DII: N 4:17.09  3/11/2016 Dion Dreesens, Queens (NC)
         Meet: M 4:17.09  3/11/2016 Dion Dreesens, Queens (NC)
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Corredor, Santiago     SR Tampa             4:19.34    4:19.87  
             23.28        48.77 (25.49)
        1:14.44 (25.67)     1:40.48 (26.04)
        2:06.70 (26.22)     2:32.97 (26.27)
        2:59.44 (26.47)     3:26.15 (26.71)
        3:53.27 (27.12)     4:19.87 (26.60)
  2 Ben Ajmia, Mohamed Kh  FR Wayne State       4:19.23    4:21.18  
             23.41        48.86 (25.45)
        1:14.94 (26.08)     1:41.37 (26.43)
        2:08.28 (26.91)     2:35.13 (26.85)
        3:02.08 (26.95)     3:29.31 (27.23)
        3:55.71 (26.40)     4:21.18 (25.47)
  3 Hamlin, Jacob          FR Tampa             4:21.50    4:21.20  
             23.48        49.35 (25.87)
        1:15.96 (26.61)     1:42.85 (26.89)
        2:09.70 (26.85)     2:36.58 (26.88)
        3:03.31 (26.73)     3:30.00 (26.69)
        3:56.22 (26.22)     4:21.20 (24.98)
  4 Rosado, Victor         JR Oklahoma Christi  4:20.01    4:21.27  
             24.04        49.80 (25.76)
        1:15.89 (26.09)     1:42.26 (26.37)
        2:08.64 (26.38)     2:35.38 (26.74)
        3:02.17 (26.79)     3:29.36 (27.19)
        3:55.87 (26.51)     4:21.27 (25.40)
  5 Alessandrini, Luca     JR Nova S'eastern    4:24.33    4:21.39  
             23.68        49.39 (25.71)
        1:15.37 (25.98)     1:41.64 (26.27)
        2:08.00 (26.36)     2:34.60 (26.60)
        3:01.38 (26.78)     3:28.22 (26.84)
        3:55.06 (26.84)     4:21.39 (26.33)
  6 Buessing, Cedric       JR Indy              4:18.84    4:22.18  
             23.20        49.06 (25.86)
        1:15.68 (26.62)     1:42.61 (26.93)
        2:09.79 (27.18)     2:36.78 (26.99)
        3:03.56 (26.78)     3:30.54 (26.98)
        3:57.27 (26.73)     4:22.18 (24.91)
  7 Nogueira, Joao         SO Drury             4:21.01    4:22.73  
             23.85        49.69 (25.84)
        1:15.85 (26.16)     1:42.27 (26.42)
        2:08.89 (26.62)     2:35.53 (26.64)
        3:02.47 (26.94)     3:29.68 (27.21)
        3:56.68 (27.00)     4:22.73 (26.05)
  8 Fluck, Barnabas        SO Tampa             4:27.74    4:23.60  
             23.72        49.53 (25.81)
        1:16.09 (26.56)     1:43.04 (26.95)
        2:10.18 (27.14)     2:37.08 (26.90)
        3:03.81 (26.73)     3:30.98 (27.17)
        3:58.03 (27.05)     4:23.60 (25.57)

Women’s 100 backstroke

Colorado Mesa has the top seed in the 100 back thanks to Agata Naskret, who pulled away to win prelims in 52.80. She had been the only swimmer sub 53.5 in the regular season. Second was Lynn’s Luna Mertins in 53.43.

Colorado Mesa’s Lauren White was third, while Nova pushed Mollie Morfelt into the A final to bolster its title chances.

Second seed Bryn Greenwaldt had a rough prelims swim to finish 1oth.

Event 23  Women 100 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
     NCAA DII: N 52.07  3/14/2019 Polina Lapshina, Queens (NC)
         Meet: M 52.07  3/14/2019 Polina Lapshina, Queens (NC)
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Naskret, Agata         SO Colorado Mesa       52.92      52.80  
             25.87        52.80 (26.93)
  2 Mertins, Luna          SR Lynn                54.44      53.43  
             25.55        53.43 (27.88)
  3 White, Lauren          5Y Colorado Mesa       54.04      54.06  
             26.38        54.06 (27.68)
  4 Pozvai, Kiara          JR Henderson St.       54.32      54.17  
             25.79        54.17 (28.38)
  5 Gronholz, Abby         JR MSU Mankato         54.02      54.22  
             26.36        54.22 (27.86)
  6 Dekoninck, Laura       JR Lynn                54.41      54.47  
             26.13        54.47 (28.34)
  7 Carbone, Camilla       JR NMU                 54.44      54.48  
             26.55        54.48 (27.93)
  8 Morfelt, Mollie        SO Nova S'eastern      55.06      54.60  
             26.35        54.60 (28.25)

Men’s 100 backstroke

Benjamin Sampson led the way in 45.88, almost a half-second to the good of Findlay’s Timothy Stollings, who won the 100 fly champ a day earlier.

In the team competition, this one is advantage Drury. Ivan Adamchuk grabbed the third seed in 46.65, .01 ahead of Henderson State’s Lamar Taylor. Viktor Khnykin scraped into the A final in eighth. Tampa’s Parker Knollman was fifth.

Event 24  Men 100 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
     NCAA DII: N 45.09  3/15/2019 Marius Kusch, Queens (NC)
         Meet: M 45.09  3/15/2019 Marius Kusch, Queens (NC)
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Sampson, Benjamin      JR Colorado Mesa       45.80      45.88  
             22.23        45.88 (23.65)
  2 Stollings, Timothy     5Y Findlay             46.15      46.33  
             22.13        46.33 (24.20)
  3 Adamchuk, Ivan         FR Drury               46.95      46.65  
             22.62        46.65 (24.03)
  4 Taylor, Lamar          SR Henderson St.       46.56      46.66  
             22.45        46.66 (24.21)
  5 Knollman, Parker       JR Tampa               47.08      46.80  
             22.79        46.80 (24.01)
  6 Rozenek, Patryk        JR McKendree           46.73      46.94  
             22.51        46.94 (24.43)
  7 Jacinto, Nico          SR Lewis               46.92      47.05  
             22.01        47.05 (25.04)
  8 Khnykin, Viktor        5Y Drury               47.11      47.12  
             22.17        47.12 (24.95)

Women’s 100 breaststroke

UIndy’s Celina Schmidt is chasing a breaststroke double. Like Naskret in backstroke, she’s the top seed in both the 100 and 200 breast, and she defended the first by going 1:01.51 in prelims. Her in-season time of 1:00.94 was the only one under 1:02 among the field.

She’ll have company in the final, though, with five 1:01s and a 1:02.00. Natalia Dwojak of Wingate finished second in 1:01.71, .02 up on Colorado School of Mines’ Jordan Tierney. Lynn’s Malaika Schnier and Katie Susi of Findlay were in the 1:01.8s, under Claire Conover of Drury at 1:02 flat.

Event 25  Women 100 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
     NCAA DII: N 59.51  3/10/2017 Theresa Michalak, West Florida
         Meet: M 59.51  3/10/2017 Theresa Michalak, West Florida
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Schmidt, Celina        JR Indy              1:00.94    1:01.51  
             28.91      1:01.51 (32.60)
  2 Dwojak, Natalia        SO Wingate           1:02.30    1:01.71  
             29.16      1:01.71 (32.55)
  3 Tierney, Jordan        SO Mines             1:02.22    1:01.73  
             28.89      1:01.73 (32.84)
  4 Schneider, Malaika     SO Lynn              1:02.46    1:01.83  
             29.01      1:01.83 (32.82)
  5 Susi, Katie            SO Findlay           1:02.48    1:01.87  
             29.17      1:01.87 (32.70)
  6 Conover, Claire        JR Drury             1:02.57    1:01.95  
             29.17      1:01.95 (32.78)
  7 Moran, Maddi           SO Colorado Mesa     1:03.13    1:02.00  
             28.91      1:02.00 (33.09)
  8 Hemingway, Mckenzie    SR WCU               1:03.00    1:02.13  
             28.95      1:02.13 (33.18)
  8 Wenhold, Amanda        SR Wingate           1:02.30    1:02.13  
             28.69      1:02.13 (33.44)

Men’s 100 breaststroke

Drury stands to gain with David Mourao securing the top seed in 52.50. He was .27 seconds up on McKendree’s Filipe Pinheiro, and Tampa didn’t place anyone in the top 13.

Noah Clancy of Missouri S&T also broke 53 with a 52.99, and Bayden Cole of UIndy was fourth in 53.17, .01 up on Catawba’s Maks Minichowski.

Event 26  Men 100 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
     NCAA DII: N 51.63  3/13/2015 Anton Lobanov, Nova S'eastern
         Meet: M 51.63  3/13/2015 Anton Lobanov, Nova S'eastern
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Mourao, Davi           JR Drury               52.69      52.50  
             25.37        52.50 (27.13)
  2 Pinheiro, Filipe       SR McKendree           53.36      52.77  
             24.66        52.77 (28.11)
  3 Clancy, Noah           SR Missouri S & T      53.53      52.99  
             24.89        52.99 (28.10)
  4 Cole, Brayden          SR Indy                52.94      53.17  
             24.86        53.17 (28.31)
  5 Minichowski, Maksymil  FR Catawba             52.94      53.18  
             24.75        53.18 (28.43)
  6 Martijena, Andres      SO Wingate             53.53      53.26  
             25.01        53.26 (28.25)
  7 Marina, Inigo          JR Nova S'eastern      52.71      53.36  
             25.00        53.36 (28.36)
  8 Chiandussi, Luca       SR Findlay             53.76      53.50  
             25.03        53.50 (28.47)

Women’s 200 butterfly

Nova Southeastern’s Rafaela Raurich is in position for the fly double, the 100 fly champ going 1:57.34 to grab the top seed by 1.01 seconds. Second was Drury’s Maria Fe Munoz. Benedict Nagy of Colorado Mesa, the double IM champ, is one to watch after trimming 1.5 seconds off her seed to 1:58.63. She’s .01 up on Drury’s Mellie Wijk, whose teammate Aurora Duncan is a spot behind. May Lowy gives Nova a second A finalist.

vent 27  Women 200 Yard Butterfly
==================================================================
     NCAA DII: N 1:55.98  3/11/2022 Ann Carozza, West Chester
         Meet: M 1:55.98  3/11/2022 Ann Carozza, West Chester
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Raurich, Rafaela       SO Nova S'eastern    1:56.71    1:57.33  
             26.08        55.42 (29.34)
        1:25.47 (30.05)     1:57.33 (31.86)
  2 Fe Munoz, Maria        SO Drury             1:59.65    1:58.34  
             27.03        57.54 (30.51)
        1:27.33 (29.79)     1:58.34 (31.01)
  3 Nagy, Benedict         5Y Colorado Mesa     2:00.19    1:58.63  
             27.52        56.47 (28.95)
        1:27.25 (30.78)     1:58.63 (31.38)
  4 Wijk, Mellie           JR Drury             1:58.13    1:58.64  
             26.60        56.61 (30.01)
        1:27.18 (30.57)     1:58.64 (31.46)
  5 Duncan, Aurora         JR Drury             2:02.49    1:59.11  
             26.75        56.95 (30.20)
        1:27.82 (30.87)     1:59.11 (31.29)
  6 Lowy, May              JR Nova S'eastern    1:59.68    1:59.51  
             26.93        56.76 (29.83)
        1:27.33 (30.57)     1:59.51 (32.18)
  7 Mears-Bentley, Emily   SO Findlay           2:00.51    1:59.92  
             27.29        58.09 (30.80)
        1:28.39 (30.30)     1:59.92 (31.53)
  8 Ungo, Susana           SR Emmanuel          2:01.72    2:00.02  
             27.02        57.73 (30.71)
        1:28.67 (30.94)     2:00.02 (31.35)

Men’s 200 butterfly

Jackson Lustig of McKendree is the man to beat in the 200 fly, going 1:43.29 to secure the top seed by 1.8 seconds. The reigning champ and record holder went 1:42.78 in season and holds the record at 1:40.75.

Second is Rollins’ Luke Dinges, leading a passel of 1:45s in 1:45.09. Akos Hajagos of Florida Tech was a tenth back, and another tenth back was Archie Minto of McKendree. Drury has an A finalist in Alejandro Villarejo, while Tampa missed out on a second swim.

Event 28  Men 200 Yard Butterfly
==================================================================
     NCAA DII: N 1:40.75  3/10/2023 Jackson Lustig, McKendree
         Meet: M 1:40.75  3/10/2023 Jackson Lustig, McKendree
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Lustig, Jackson        JR McKendree         1:42.78    1:43.29  
             23.05        49.01 (25.96)
        1:15.72 (26.71)     1:43.29 (27.57)
  2 Dinges, Luke           SO Rollins           1:44.92    1:45.09  
             24.55        51.00 (26.45)
        1:17.69 (26.69)     1:45.09 (27.40)
  3 Hajagos, Akos          FR Florida Tech      1:46.68    1:45.19  
             23.29        49.63 (26.34)
        1:17.40 (27.77)     1:45.19 (27.79)
  4 Minto, Archie          JR McKendree         1:46.80    1:45.30  
             24.25        51.24 (26.99)
        1:17.98 (26.74)     1:45.30 (27.32)
  5 Villarejo, Alejandro   SO Drury             1:44.45    1:45.72  
             23.46        50.18 (26.72)
        1:17.60 (27.42)     1:45.72 (28.12)
  6 Savage, Conley         SR UMSL              1:47.31    1:46.11  
             23.57        50.76 (27.19)
        1:18.40 (27.64)     1:46.11 (27.71)
  7 Noe, Elias             FR Indy              1:46.29    1:46.50  
             23.74        50.54 (26.80)
        1:18.45 (27.91)     1:46.50 (28.05)
  8 Urbanek, Dejan         JR Colorado Mesa     1:45.75    1:46.52  
             23.58        50.34 (26.76)
        1:17.91 (27.57)     1:46.52 (28.61)

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