2023 NCAA Division II Championships: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2023 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships

• Dates: Wednesday, March 7 – Saturday, March 11, 2023
• Location: Indiana University Natatorium, Indianapolis, IN
• Times: Prelims 10:00 AM / Finals 6:00 PM
• Defending Champs: Queens women (7x) & Queens men (7x)
• Live Results
• Women’s Psych Sheet (PDF)
• Men’s Psych Sheet (PDF)
• Women’s Live Stream
• Men’s Live Stream
• Day 1 Results (PDF)
• Day 2 Finals Heat Sheet

After Tuesday night’s session, which consisted of the 800 free relays, we are getting ready to crown our first individual champions of the 2023 NCAA Division II Championships.

Beginning with the fastest heats of the women’s and men’s 1000 free, we will contest the finals of the 200 IM and 50 freestyle and women’s 1-meter diving, before wrapping up the evening with timed finals of the 200 medley relay.

Emily Trieschmann, who anchored Nova S’eastern’s gold medal-winning 800 free relay in 1:47.21 last night, is top seed in the 1000 free. She comes in with the fastest time ever swum in D2 history, 9:43.69, just one hundredth off the meet record. Tampa fifth-year Hayden Curley will be in lane 4 of the men’s race with a seed time of 8:56.58.

Drury and Nova S’eastern stuffed the A and B finals of the women’s 200 IM; notably they each have three swimmers in the A final. Nova freshman Emilia Ronningdal was the lone sub-2:00 in prelims this morning. In the men’s race, Colorado Mesa’s Benjamin Sampson (1:45.16) and Drury’s Andrew Rodriguez (1:45.69) are the top seeds. Last year they were tenth and fifth, respectively.

Johanna Buys of Indy, the top returning scorer from 2022, leads the qualifiers in the women’s 50 free (22.54), but it will be a tight final with the entire field seeded within six-tenths of each other. Henderson State boasts the top two sprinters on the men’s side, with Jack Armstrong (19.21) in lane 4 and Lamar Taylor (19.24) in lane 5.

Wayne State freshman Mikaela Senkus ranked first out of prelims in 1-meter diving this morning, but Grand Valley State senior Gracyn Segard, who has won this event in each of the last two years, will be seeking her third consecutive title.

Women’s 1000 Freestyle – Fastest Heat

• NCAA DII Record: 9:43.69 – Emily Trieschmann, Nova S’eastern (2023)
• Meet Record: 9:43.70 – Georgia Wright, West Chester (2020)

Podium:

1. Emily Trieschmann, Nova S’eastern – 9:43.25
2. Jordan Fox, Wayne State – 9:53.61
3. Kate Agger, Wingate – 9:55.83
4. Allison Vassilakos, Wayne State – 9:55.99
5. Keeley Durkin, West Chester – 10:02.06
6. Ana Cecilia Carvalho, McKendree – 10:03.60
7. Estelle Bauer, Nova S’eastern – 10:04.73
8. Amelia Kinnard, Colorado Mesa – 10:06.58

It was clear from the start that Nova’s Emily Trieschmann was on a mission. Already the NCAA Division II national record-holder in the 1000 free, she was out to break the meet record as well. Trieschmann was already up by two bodies at the 200, flipping in 1:52.84. She doubled her lead at the 400, splitting 29-lows, about a second per 50 faster than the next-fastest swimmers in the heat.

Trieschmann continued to build her lead, going 4:47.64 at the halfway mark and inching closer to the record. She fell off pace after the 700, going 29-highs, but she still managed to finish well under the previous D2 and meet marks of 9:43.69 and 9:43.70, respectively, to establish a new record of 9:43.25.

Behind her, Jordan Fox of Wayne State held steady in second place from out in lane 1. Ten seconds behind Trieschmann at the 500, she matched the leader over the second half to come to the wall in 9:53.61 for the silver medal.

Wingate’s Kate Agger just touched out Wayne State’s Allison Vassilakos for third, 9:55.83 to 9:55.99.

Keeley Durkin of West Chester, who had the fastest time out of morning heats, came in fifth overall.

Men’s 1000 Freestyle – Fastest Heat

• NCAA DII Record: 8:54.10 – Fabio Dalu, McKendree (2021)
• Meet Record: 8:54.10 – Fabio Dalu, McKendree (2021)

Podium:

1. Cedric Buessing, UIndy – 8:55.88
2. Victor Rosado, Oklahoma Christian – 8:56.94
3. Hayden Curley, Tampa – 8:58.22
4. Eric Hieber, Grand Valley – 9:00.47
5. Luca Alessandrini, Nova S’eastern – 9:04.35
6. Jon Kantzenbach, Grand Valley – 9:05.61
7. Barnabus Fluck, Tampa – 9:07.83
8. Miguel Marcos, Wingate – 9:07.94

The men’s 1000 free was a thriller from start to finish. Cedric Buessing of Indy got out to an early start, but Tampa’s Hayden Curley and Eric Hieber of Grand Valley were just off his shoulder. The three flipped together at the 200, then Curley moved to the front of the pack at the 300.

By the halfway mark, the four middle lanes – Curley, Buessing, Hieber, and Oklahoma Christian’s Victor Rosado – were bunched together. By the 700, while Buessing was back in front, it looked like it could be anyone’s game.

Rosado began to make his move off the 700 wall while Hieber fell off pace. The three leaders flipped in unison at the 850 wall. Then Buessing made his move. He attacked the 875 wall and by the 900 he was clearly in the lead. Over the last 100 yards, he built his lead and was a body up at the 975.

As Buessing came into the wall, Rosado shot past Curley, who had been holding steady in second place. Buessing won with 8:55.88. Rosado was runner-up in 8:56.94, 1.3 seconds ahead of Curley.

Miguel Marcos from Wingate, the fastest out of morning heats, finished eighth overall.

Women’s 200 Individual Medley – Finals

• NCAA DII Record: 1:55.63 – Patri Castro Ortega, Queens (2016)
• Meet Record: 1:55.63 – Patri Castro Ortega, Queens (2016)

Podium:

1. Emilia Ronningdal, Nova S’eastern – 1:57.78
2. Aurora Duncan, Drury – 1:59.42
3. Savanna Best, Nova S’eastern – 2:00.59
4. Claire Conover, Drury – 2:00.86
5. Kaitlyn McCoy, UIndy – 2:01.00
6. Paige Mikesell, IUP – 2:01.01
7. May Lowy, Nova S’eastern – 2:01.48
8. Mellie Wijk, Drury – 2:03.12

IUP’s Paige Mikesell, who finished in 14th place a year ago, led the field on the butterfly leg with 25.46, but Nova’s Emilia Ronningdal soon made her way to the front with a 29.3 on the backstroke. Indy’s Kaitlyn McCoy also had a strong backstroke and was in second place headed into the breast.

Aurora Duncan of Drury had a strong middle 100 and pulled past McCoy with 50 to go.

Ronningdal moved further ahead of the field on the breaststroke, which she swam in 33.7. Claire Conover of Drury, seventh after the backstroke, also split 33.7 on the breast and pulled into fourth.

Ronningdal was home in 28.8 to win the title with 1:57.78. Duncan held on for second place, while Nova’s Savanna Best, who won the consolation final last year, took third in 2:00.59.

Men’s 200 Individual Medley – Finals

• NCAA DII Record: 1:41.61 – Marius Kusch, Queens (2018)
• Meet Record: 1:41.61 – Marius Kusch, Queens (2018)

Podium:

1. Ben Sampson, Colorado Mesa – 1:44.33
2. Matteo Zampese, Florida Southern – 1:45.06
3. Santiago Corredor, Tampa – 1:45.48
4. Andrew Rodriguez, Drury – 1:45.53
5. John Amrein, Oklahoma Christian – 1:45.43
6. Juan Daniel Garcia Ruiz, Findlay – 1:46.74
7. Jackson Lustig, McKendree – 1:46.88
8. Emanuel Fava, Delta State – 1:47.85

McKendree’s Jackson Lustig set the pace early on, getting out in front with a 22.11 on the butterfly leg. Colorado Mesa’s Ben Sampson, who had come in with the division’s top time in the event, took the lead on the backstroke leg. Drury’s Andrew Rodriguez also moved up on backstroke, turning into the breaststroke just ahead of Lustig.

Sampson controlled the second half of the race, splitting 30.9-25.3 to finish with 1:44.33.

Matteo Zampese of Florida Southern came back from sixth after the backstroke to second overall, thanks in part to a 30.1 breaststroke leg. Oklahoma Christian’s John Amrein was even faster on the breast (29.81) and was able to move from eighth at the halfway mark to fifth at the finish.

Women’s 50 Freestyle – Finals

• NCAA DII Record: 22.15 – Danielle Danielle Melilli, Queens (2022)
• Meet Record: 15 – Danielle Danielle Melilli, Queens (2022)

Podium:

1. Johanna Buys, Indy – 22.10
2. Bryn Greenwaldt, Augustana – 22.56
3. Laura Dekoninck, Lynn – 22.60
4. Kiara Pozvai, Henderson State – 22.70
5. Manon Compagner, Carson-Newman – 22.81
6. Tilde Morin, Tampa – 22.94
7. Katarzyna Rogowska, Drury – 23.10
8. Daniella Solkow, Delta State – 23.17

Indy’s Johanna Buys, third in last year’s final, exploded to a new Division II national and meet record with 22.10. Buys was quick off the start and first to the 25 wall. She powered home to get the win by almost half a body length.

Bryn Greenwaldt of Augustana edged Lynn’s Laura Dekoninck for second, 22.56 to 22.60.

Men’s 50 Freestyle – Finals

• NCAA DII Record: 18.88 – Matej Dusa, Queens (2022)
• Meet Record: 18.88 – Matej Dusa, Queens (2022)

Podium:

1. Lamar Taylor, Henderson State – 19.04
2. Jack Armstrong, Henderson State – 19.30
3. Diego Mas, UIndy – 19.32
4. Abe Townley, St. Cloud State – 19.34
5. Jeron Thomspon, UIndy – 19.37
6. (TIE) Gregg Lichinsky, McKendree / Kyle Micallef, Florida Southern – 19.43
7. –
8. Khameron Glass, Drury – 19.52

Henderson State pulled off a 1-2 sweep in the men’s 50 free but in a reverse of the morning’s finishing order, it was Lamar Taylor who came away with the crown. Taylor established a lead early on and was first to the 25 wall. He controlled his underwaters and came up after the turn just ahead of the field. At the end, he got his hand to the wall in 19.04, becoming the Red Wave’s first national champion since 2010.

Teammate Jack Armstrong was just behind in 19.30, holding off Indy’s Diego Mas (19.32) and Abe Townley of St. Cloud State (19.34).

Women’s 1-Meter Diving – Finals

• NCAA DII Record: 511.55, Kayla Kelosky (Clarion) – 2011
• Meet Record: 511.55, Kayla Kelosky (Clarion) – 2011

Podium:

1. Luna Vejarano, Clarion – 473.55
2. Mikaela Senkus, Wayne State – 4:70.95
3. Daniela Reyes, West Florida – 468.85
4. Gracyn Segard, Grand Valley – 444.00
5. Mikaela Starr, Indy – 433.55
6. Adriana Mieses, West Florida – 421.35
7. Olivia Liddle, Azusa Pacific – 412.30
8. Regan Gubera, McKendree – 398.65

Clarion freshman Luna Vejarano improved on her morning performance by 30 points to win the women’s 1-meter diving crown with 473.55 points. Mikaela Senkus from Wayne State, last year’s third-place finisher, came in second with 470.95 points. Dani Reyes of West Florida, ninth last year, was just 2.10 points behind in third place with 468.85.

Gracyn Segard of Grand Valley, who had won this event in both 2021 and 2022, settle for fourth place with 444.00 points.

Women’s 200 Medley Relay – Timed Finals

• NCAA DII Record: 1:38.49 – Queens (2018)
• Meet Record: 1:38.58 Queens (2019)

Podium:

1. Nova S’eastern – 1:39.90
2. UIndy – 1:40.11
3. Colorado Mesa – 1:41.54
4. Henderson State – 1:41.65
5. Northern Michigan – 1:41.83
6. Lynn – 1:41.99
7. West Chester – 1:42.07
8. Delta State – 1:42.16

Men’s 200 Medley Relay – Timed Finals

• NCAA DII Record: 1:24.69 – Drury (2021)
• Meet Record: 1:24.69 – Drury (2021)

Podium:

1. Drury – 1:24.93
2. Indy – 1:25.01
3. McKendree – 1:25.61
4. Florida Southern – 1:25.83
5. Findlay – 1:25.96
6. Cloud State – 1:26.77
7. Wingate – 1:26.91
8. Colorado Mesa – 1:27.02

Women’s Team Scores After Day 2

1. Nova S’Eastern 182
2. Indy 144
3. Drury 97
4. Colorado Mesa 85
5. Lynn 77
6. (TIE) West Chester / Wayne State 75
7. –
8. Wingate 66
9. West Florida 50
10. McKendree 48
11. Henderson St. 45
12. Grand Valley 42
13. Tampa 36
14. Delta State 33
15. NMU 32
16. Carson-Newman 30
17. Azusa Pacific 26
18. Clarion 25
19. IUP 23
20. Augustana 21
21. CSU East Bay 7
22. (TIE) MSU Mankato / Florida Southern 6
23. –
24. Mines 3
25. (TIE) Saint Leo / Davenport 2
26. –
27. (TIE) Findlay / Rollins 1

Men’s Team Scores After Day 2

1. Indy 121.5
2. McKendree 105.5
3. Tampa 103
4. Drury 97
5. Colorado Mesa 76.5
6. Wingate 72
7. Grand Valley 66
8. Florida Southern 65.5
9. Findlay 65
10. Oklahoma Christian 61
11. St Cloud St 48
12. Nova S’Eastern 47
13. Henderson St. 37
14. (TIE) Missouri S & T / Carson-Newman / Wayne State 22
15. –
16. –
17. Delta State 17
18. Saginaw Valley 12
19. West Chester 7
20. (TIE) Emmanuel / Lewis 6
21. –
22. (TIE) Mines / NMU 3