2019 NCAA Division III Men’s Championships: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2019 NCAA DIVISION III MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Dates: Wednesday, March 20 – Saturday, March 23, 2019
• Swimming: prelims 10am, finals 6pm; Diving: 2pm
• Location: Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina (Eastern Time Zone)
• Defending Champions: Denison (results)
• Digital Program
• Official Psych Sheet
• Live Video
• Live Results │ Diving Results
• Championship Central

DAY FOUR FINALS

MEN’S 1650 YARD FREESTYLE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 14:56.44 12/1/2016, Arthur Conover, Kenyon

1. Tom Gordon, Emory – 15:14.81
2. Matthew Hedman, Denison – 15:19.60
3. Jackson Karofsky, Williams – 15:23.06
4. Paddy Baylis, Pomona-Pitzer – 15:25.66
5. Bryan Fitzgerald, Kenyon – 15:28.56
6. Connor Rumpit, Kenyon – 15:29.34
7. James Baker, Denison – 15:32.77
8. Zach Lorson, Emory – 15:38.12

NYU’s Graham Chatoor got out to a substantial lead in the first 200 yards, splitting a 1:45.68. As the race continued, however, it developed into a battle between Emory’s Tom Gordon, the defending champion in this event; and Denison’s Matt Headman, the national runner-up to Gordon. History appeared to repeat itself, as Gordon ended up touching first in 15:14.81, ahead of Headman’s second place time of 15:19.60.

William’s Jackson Karofsky picked up a third place finish with his 15:23.06, and Paddy Baylis followed closely behind, touching at 15:25.66. Kenyon freshman Bryan Fitzgerald earned a fifth place finish with his 15:28.56 from the preliminary heats.

Kenyon’s Connor Rumpit (15:29.34), Denison’s James Baker (15:32.77), and Emory’s Zach Lorson (15:38.12) round out the top eight.

MEN’S 100 YARD FREESTYLE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 42.98 3/24/2018, Oliver Smith, Emory

1. Trey Kolleck, Emory – 43.31
2. Roger Gu, Tufts – 43.70
3. Collin Miller, Wisconsin-Eau Claire – 43.88
4. Chris Schiavone, F&M – 43.97
5. Kymani Senior, Denison – 44.63
6. Kevin Gillooly, Rowan – 44.72
7. Joseph Rodriguez, Coast Guard – 44.88
8. Sage Ono, Emory – 44.91

Tuft’s Roger Gu, the 50 free champion, was out first at the 50 mark. Emory’s Trey Kolleck was in hot pursuit, though, violently thrashing to the lead at the 75. Despite the rest of the field closing in on him, Kolleck hung on for first, finishing in a time of 43.31.

Four other swimmers dipped below the 44 mark: Gu touched second in 43.70; Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s Collin Miller picked up third with his 43.88; and Chris Schiavone, the junior from Franklin & Marshall, picked up fourth in a time of 43.97.

Denison’s Kymani Senior (44.63), Rowan’s Kevin Gillooly (44.72), Coast Guard’s Joseph Rodriguez (44.88), and Emory’s Sage Ono (44.91) also earned top eight finishes.

MEN’S 200 YARD BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:43.49 3/21/2015, Harrison Curley, Kenyon

1. Albert Litschgi, Chicago – 1:44.04
2. Bebe Wang, Denison – 1:44.93
3. John Bauer, WPI – 1:45.48
4. Mick Bartholomew, Kenyon – 1:46.65
5. Liam Picozzi, Denison – 1:46.93
6. Peyton Wilson, Wash U. – 1:47.53
7. Craig Smith, Amherst – 1:48.60
8. Emile Kuyl, Johns Hopkins – 1:48.84

Chicago’s Albert Litschgi was #1 in the country last season prior to the national meet, but he ended up not competing at the NCAAs. This year, however, the junior was present and he was dominant: winning the 200 back in a time of 1:44.04. Denison’s Bebe Wang also got under 1:45, claiming the runner-up spot in a time of 1:44.93. John Bauer out of Worcester Polytechnic picked up third in a time of 1:45.48.

Kenyon’s Mick Bartholomew had a strong back-half to overtake Denison freshman Liam Picozzi; the two touched fourth and fifth in times of 1:46.65 and 1:46.93.

Comprising the remainder of the A-final was Wash U.’s Peyton Wilson (1:47.53), Amherst’s Craig Smith (1:48.60), and Johns Hopkins’s Emile Kuyl (1:48.84).

MEN’S 200 YARD BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:50.80 3/18/2017, Andrew Wilson, Emory

1. Jason Hamilton, Emory – 1:57.34
2. Lance Culjat, Chicago – 1:57.77
3. Tanner Sonnek, Gustavas Adolphus – 1:58.88
4. Jeffrey Leckrone, Mary Washington – 1:58.89
5. Sean Mebust, Amherst – 1:58.92
6. Richie Kurlich, Denison – 1:59.45
7. Simon Deshusses, Wash U. – 1:59.51
8. Nolan Monahan, U.S. Merchant Marine – 2:00.83

Chicago junior Lance Culjat appeared to be in complete control of the race, taking it out in a blazing 55.55. Freshman Jason Hamilton of Emory came within striking distance of Culjat at the 150 mark. With a big turn from the freshman on the last wall, he surged to the lead in the final yards, taking his first NCAA title in a time of 1:57.34. Culjat took the runner-up spot with a 1:57.77.

Tanner Sonnek from Gustavus Adolphus out-touched Mary Washington’s Jeffrey Leckrone by the slimmest of margins – the two placed third and fourth in times of 1:58.88 and 1:58.89. Amherst’s Sean Mebust was also just a hair behind with his 1:58.92 for fifth.

The remainder of the A-finalists included Denison’s Richie Kurlich (1:59.45), Wash U.’s Simon Deshusses (1:59.51) and U.S. Merchan Marine’s (2:00.83).

MEN’S 3M DIVING – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 645.70 2/12/2014, Connor Dignan, Denison

1. Jay Lang, MIT – 552.65
2. Dylan Glumac-Berberich, Wisconsin-Eau Claire – 551.55
3. Kendall Hollimon, CMS – 547.85
4. Heath Ogawa, Lake Forest – 535.75
5. Bennett Fagan, Amhest – 531.80
6. Lucas Bumgarner, Emory – 523.20
7. Jacob Burris, Albion – 516.75
8. Mitchell Ryan, Bowdoin – 495.95

MEN’S 400 YARD FREESTYLE RELAY – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 2:53.59 3/24/2012, Kenyon (Somers, Turk, Ramsey, Richardson)

1. Denison – 2:57.52
2. Emory – 2:57.90
3. Kenyon – 3:00.00

The Denison men closed out their NCAA championship campaign with a clutch victory in the 400 free relay. Kymani Senior (44.67), Eric Gerlach (44.57) and Drake Horton (44.30) put up a huge lead for the Big Red going into the last leg. Despite a charging Trey Kolleck, who split a scorching 42.81, Bebe Wang put up a 43.98 to just barely edge out the Eagles relay – the two squads finished 1-2 with times of 2:57.52 and 2:57.90.

Kenyon’s quartet of Joe Black (45.23), AJ Reid (45.02), Tommy Weiss (44.67) and Robert Williams (45.08) capped off the meet with a third place finish in a final time of 3:00.00. The Lords’ third place finish means that Emory overtook them for the runner-up spot by half a point.

Top 10 Team Scores:

1. Denison – 562.5
2. Emory – 447.5
3. Kenyon – 447
4. Johns Hopkins – 300
5. Wash U. – 221
6. MIT – 203
7. Williams – 162
8. Chicago – 153
9. Amherst – 149.5
10. Tufts – 147