INDIANAPOLIS -- Launching to the top, the Queens (N.C.) men's and women's swim teams excelled on day two of the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships securing the top spot on the women's side with 280 points and second place on the men's side with 202.5, trailing off the lead by only 3.5 points.
Adding another four national records to the list, Queens saw records fall from Nicholas Arakelian in the 400 Individual Medley, Matthew Josa in the 100 Butterfly and Patricia Castro-Ortega in the 200 Freestyle.
The men's 400 Medley Relay took the fourth record off the wall with a 3:08.07. John Suther, Niclas Eriksson, Josa, and Ben Taylor, respectfully, brought down the prior national record by over two seconds claiming the honor with a second separation from the pool.
Arakelian dominated the men's 400 Individual Medley toppling the competition by nearly eight seconds and surpassing his previous record by nearly three seconds. Arakelian's performance brought him to the wall in a 3:43.84 record time.Josa demolished the 100 Butterfly launching to not only the top of Division II history but landed as the 10th all-time fastest for the race, smashing the record with a 44.89.
Castro-Ortega's 200 Freestyle time topped her national record from the Bluegrass Mountain Conference Championship the month prior. Castro-Ortega touched with a 1:45.27 to further secure her spot at the top of the event.
Castro-Ortega was not alone in the 200 Freestyle as Lillian Gordy andMcKenzie Stevens made a statement, hoisting themselves into the top of the event. Gordy found the second place spot for the 1-2 finish with a 1:47.84. Stevens would drive into the wall moments later with a 1:49.04 taking fourth place off the board.
Both 200 Freestyle Relays leaped off the blocks to grab new school records. Lillian Gordy, Alexandra Marshall, Kristin Diemer, and Shane Knight, respectfully, passed the old time of 1:32.84 with a 1:32.17 to take the school record. The men's side saw Eriksson, Taylor, Austin Sumrall, and Hayden Kosater, respectfully, find the wall in a 1:19.25 to trump the previous time of 1:20.16.
Taylor clocked a 1:36.07 in the 200 Freestyle taking the bronze placement in the event. Rounding out the event, Kosater found the wall in 1:38.57 for the 15th overall rank.
The women's 100 Butterfly featured two Queens' swimmers in the finals as Peiffer and Marshall took the fourth and sixth spots, respectfully. Peiffer found a 54.28 for the event as Marshall followed close behind with a 54.37.
In a narrow race to the wall, the women's 400 Individual Medley clocked a 3:41.03 third place finish from Hannah Peiffer, Caroline Arakelian, Alexandra Marshall, and Castro-Ortega, respectfully.
Arakelian would find herself in the top heat again this time for the 400 Individual Medley. She took a 4:25.91 finish for eight place.
