Emory takes home men and women's crowns

SHENANDOAH, Texas – Emory University became just the second institution in Division III history, and the first since 2009, to sweep both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving championships as the Eagles led from start to finish to take home both team titles Saturday at the Conroe ISD. Kenyon College swept both team championships 23 different times.

The Emory women dominated the competition, winning four individual events and sweeping all five team relays en route to the program’s eighth consecutive national championship. Four of the relays established new NCAA records, and the relay sweep marked the first time a single program has swept all five relays in consecutive years for the first time since Kenyon pulled off the feat in 2003 and 2004.

Emory finished with 645.5 points, a full 200 points more than second-place Williams who finished with 445 points. Kenyon was third with 381 points and Denison placed fourth with 272 points. 

Emory sophomore Julia Durmer set the tone for the evening as she won the first final – the 1650 free – in a time of 16:27.82. Durmer is the fourth Emory swimmer to win the event and the first since Liz Horvat in 2009. Marysol Arce of Kenyon, the defending champion in the event, was second in 16:39.11 and Meg Stanley of Illinois Wesleyan was third in 16:41.93.

Fiona Muir continued the momentum for the Emory women as she earned the program’s second consecutive win of the night with a first-place swim in the 100 free. The sophomore touched in 49.28 while earning her first individual national title after four career second-place finishes – including in the 100 free last year. Emma Waddell of Williams was second in a time of 49.45, and Abby VanHarn of Calvin and Lindsay Hagmann of Trinity tied for third in 50.38.

Emory put a bow on its national title with a victory in the 400 free relay. The team of Fiona Muir, Marcela Sanchez-Aizcorbe, Caroline Olson and Marissa Bergh set a new NCAA record with a 3:19.56 finish. It was the sixth time in program history the Eagles have won the meet-ending event – with all six wins coming since 2010 (2010-13; 2016-17). Williams finished second in a time of 3:23.11 and Kenyon was third in 3:23.37. 

In other events from Saturday, Olivia Jackson of Williams established a new NCAA record in the 200 back with a winning time of 1:55.83 – breaking a mark that had stood since 2008. It was her second national title in the event after winning in 2015 and the fifth individual national title for the Ephs in this year’s meet. Emma Paulson of St. Thomas finished second in a time of 1:58.61 and Cindy Cheng of Emory was third in 1:58.62.

First-year Mary Erb of Connecticut College earned the program’s second-ever individual national title with a winning swim of 2:14.61 in the 200 breast. The Camels’ Kate Kovenock won the 50 free in 2004. Williams’ Caroline White finished second in a time of 2:15.08 and Julia Wilson of Kenyon was third in 2:15.30.

In ceremonies that took place following the meet, Emma Waddell of Williams College, who posted victories in the 50 free and 100 fly, was named Female Swimmer-of-the-Year, while Maura Sticco-Ivins of Wellesley College, who swept both boards, was selected Female Diver-of-the-Year, Her coach, Jack Lewis, was named CSCAA Women’s Diving Coach-of-the-Year while Emory’s Jon Howell was selected CSCAA Women’s Swimming Coach-of-the-Year.

On the men’s side, Emory earned the program’s first-ever team title on the back of four relay wins and a historic individual performance by senior Andrew Wilson.

The Eagles finished with 438 points, holding off both Kenyon with 384 points and defending champion Denison who finished with 371 points. Johns Hopkins finished fourth with 295 points.

2017 DIII Swimming & Diving Championship: Day Four Recap

Wilson wrapped up his career and one-man assault on the NCAA record book by going three-for-three in national title swims while posting the fastest times in NCAA Division III history for each swim. He won the 200 IM on Wednesday, the 100 breast on Friday and the 200 breast on Saturday evening where he touched first in a time of 1:50.80 – shattering the meet and championship records that he had set in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Ian Reardon of Kenyon was second in 1:58.04 and Michael Lagieski of Washington (Mo.) finished third in 1:58.51. 

In the final event of the championship – the men’s 400 free relay – Emory picked up its fourth relay title of the meet as the team of Trey Kolleck, Alex Hardwick, Hayes Burdette-Sapp and Oliver Smith touched first in a time of 2:56.68. The victory also gave the program consecutive wins in the 400 free relay – the first time a program has produced consecutive wins in the event since Kenyon in 2012 and 2013. Denison was second in 2:57.11 and MIT was third in 2:58.77.

In other men’s action on Saturday, Ben Lin of Williams made it a 200 back sweep for the Ephs as he took the title with a finishing time of 1:44.00. It was the third individual national title for Lin (100 fly and 100 back) at this year’s meet and the fourth of his career. He is the 13th man in NCAA Division III history to win both the 100 and 200 back at a single championship meet and the first since 2012. Jackson Lindell of Denison, the defending national champion in the event, placed second with a time of 1:45.32 and Kingsley Bowen of Tufts was third in 1:46.33.

Kenyon’s Arthur Conover earned his second national title of the 2017 championships with a victory in the 1650 free. The sophomore finished in a time of 14:59.56, which set a new meet record. It is his third overall national title as he also won the 1650 in 2015. Andrew Greenhalgh, the defending national champion in the event, finished second this year with a time of 15:02.34. Emory’s Thomas Gordon was third in 15:12.80.

Jesse Novak of Rowan earned a national title in the 100 free, touching first in a time of 43.29. It was his first championship swim of 2017 but the third of his career after claiming titles in the 50 and 100 free in 2015. Keene State’s Ryan Boraski was second in 43.43 and Oliver Smith of Emory was third in 43.78.

Max Levy of Denison wrapped up his career with a victory on the 1-meter board, posting a winning score of 588.20. The win completed the meet sweep of both boards for the eight-time all-American and represented his fourth career diving victory. He also swept both boards in 2015 – the last the championship was held in Shenandoah. Connor Brisson of NYU finished second with a score of 577.50 and Arron Carlson of SUNY-Fredonia was third with a score of 547.35.

In the ceremony that followed the awarding of the team trophies, Levy was named the Male Diver-of-the-Year while his coach, Russ Betran, was honored as CSCAA Men’s Diving Coach-of-the-Year. Emory’s Wilson was named the named Male Swimmer-of-the-Year while his coach, Jon Howell, was selected CSCAA Men’s Coach-of-the-Year.