2023 NCAA Division II Championships: Day 5 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)
• Live Stream (NCAA.com)
• Day 1 Results (PDF)
• Day 2 Results (PDF)
• Day 3 Results (PDF)
• Day 4 Results (PDF)
• Day 5 finals heat sheets

We’ve come to the end of the five-day 2023 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships, with just six events left to contest: women’s and men’s 1650 free, 100 free, 200 back, and 200 breast, men’s 1-meter diving, and women’s and men’s 400 free relay.

With the departure of Queens University of Charlotte into Division I, the NCAA will crown new Division II women’s and men’s champions for the first time in eight years. Nova S’eastern has established a strong lead in the women’s meet, while UIndy is hoping to increase its leave over Drury in the men’s meet.

NSU’s Emily Trieschmann is looking for her third individual win; having broken the meet record in the 1000 free and won the 500 free, she comes in with the top entry time in the 1650 by 15.7 seconds (16:31.90). Henderson State’s Kiara Pozvai leads the qualifiers in the 100 free (49.33) but will face strong challenges from Carson-Newman’s Manon Compagner (49.48) and Lynn’s Helga Fodor (49.66). Drury’s Alexandra Waller tops the field by nearly 2 seconds in the 200 back (1:56.28); she is about 2 seconds off the meet record. Defending champion Lily Borgenheimer of Colorado Mesa posted the fastest time in the 200 breast this morning (2:12.78); she will be challenged by 2022 runner-up Savanna Best from NSU.

Indy’s Cedric Buessing, who won the 1000 free on Wednesday, is the top seed in the 1650 by about 10 seconds with 15:02.54. McKendree’s Gregg Lichinsky, Thursday’s 100 fly champion, clocked a 42.84 to lead the qualifiers in the 100 free. He’ll have Henderson State’s Jack Armstrong (43.15) and Lamar Taylor (43.32) on either side of him; they were the top two finishers in the 50 free on Wednesday. Colorado Mesa’s Benjamin Sampson is the one to beat in the 200 back; the 2022 runner-up went 1:42.96 in prelims this morning. JT Amrein of Oklahoma Christian will be in lane 4 of the 200 breast (1:56.52), hoping to defend his 2022 title. Julio Osuna of UIndy is looking to add the 1-meter diving crown to the 3-meter title he won on Thursday.

Top Ten Women’s Teams After Day 4

1. Nova S’Eastern 434.5
2. Indy 344
3. Drury 263.5
4. Colorado Mesa 258
5. West Chester 192
6. Lynn 160
7. Wingate 154
8. Carson-Newman 126
9. Wayne State 120
10. West Florida 110

Top Ten Men’s Teams After Day 4

1. Indy 373.5
2. Drury 338
3. McKendree 273.5
4. Tampa 225
5. Colorado Mesa 204.5
6. Findlay 195.5
7. Grand Valley 162
8. Wingate 151
9. Oklahoma Christian 146.5
10. Florida Southern 142.5

Women’s 1650 Freestyle – Fastest Heat

• NCAA DII Record: 16:17.66 – Kristen Frost, Southern Conn St (2008)
• Meet Record: 16:17.66 – Kristen Frost, Southern Conn St (2008)

Podium:

1. Emily Trieschmann, Nova S’eastern – 16:30.11
2. Allison Vassilakos, Wayne State – 16:42.11
3. Jordan Fox, Wayne State – 16:44.86
4. Kaitlyn Agger, Wingate – 16:45.58
5. Meghan Slowey, Mines – 16:46.93
6. Ana Cecilia Carvalho, McKendree – 16:47.01
7. Adelaide Reaser, Truman St. – 16:53.57
8. Emilia Colti Dumitrescu, Indy – 16:56.84

NSU’s Emily Trieschmann picked up her third individual win of the meet with a dominant 16:30.11 in the 1650 free. She was already up by half a body at the 200, and extended her lead with every 50 until about the 1200. At that point she led by more than half a pool length. Trieschmann let up a little on the pace over the final 450 yards but still notched a PB by 1.8 seconds.

Behind Trieschmann there was a lot of jockeying for position, but it was Wayne State’s Allison Vassilakos (16.42.11) and Jordan Fox (16:44.86) who got to the wall in second and third.

Men’s 1650 Freestyle – Fastest Heat

• NCAA DII Record: 14:55.12 – Fabio Dalu, McKendree (2021)
• Meet Record: 14:55.12 – Fabio Dalu, McKendree (2021)

Podium:

1. Eric Hieber, Grand Valley – 15:03.48
2. Cedric Buessing, Indy – 15:03.85
3. Hayden Curley, Tampa – 15:10.69
4. Paul Demesy, West Chester – 15:16.22
5. Victor Rosado, OC – 15:17.34
6. Kyle Benjamin, Colorado Mesa – 15:17.45
7. Luca Alessandrini, Nova S’eastern – 15:21.14
8. Barnabas Fluck, Tampa – 15:22.14

There’s nothing like a good mile to kick off the last day of competition at a championship meet, and the men’s 1650 was no exception. 2022 bronze medalist and top seed, Cedric Buessing of Indy, set the pace in lane 4 from the outset. He was followed by Tampa’s Hayden Curley and Grand Valley’s Eric Hieber.

At the 500, Buessing had moved further in front of the other two; he flipped at 4:29.06 to Curley’s 4:30.98 and Hieber’s 4:31.57. By the 600, Buessing leg by a full body. He increased his lead over the next 200 yards and led by 3.6 seconds at the 800.

Meanwhile, Hieber had begun to creep up on Curley. The two flipped together at the 800. By the 900, Hieber was half a body ahead of Curley and was starting to eat into Buessing’s lead. At the 1000, he was just 2.9 seconds behind the leader. The difference was just 2.3 seconds at the 1200, then 1.7 at the 1300, 0.4 at the 1400, and 0.2 at the 1500.

By now the crowd was on their feet. Buessing remained ahead by .2 at the 1550 and by .3 at the 1600. Just when it looked like he had it in the bag, Hieber put it into overdrive. He came home in 24.14, outsplitting Buessing by .65 on the final 50, to get the win with 15:03.48.

Women’s 100 Freestyle – Finals

• NCAA DII Record: 48.16 – Polina Lapshina, Queens (NC) (2019)
• Meet Record: 48.16 – Polina Lapshina, Queens (NC) (2019)

Podium:

1. Manon Compagner, Carson-Newman – 48.97
2. Kiara Pozvai, Henderson St. – 49.21
3. Johanna Buys, Indy – 49.55
4. Mika Heideyer, Indy – 49.66
5. Ann Carozza, West Chester – 49.91
6. Helga Fodor, Lynn – 50.07
7. Bryn Greenwaldt, Augustana – 50.21
8. Tilde Morin, Tampa – 51.34

Carson-Newman’s Manon Compagner capped off her extraordinary senior season with a second national title. After winning the 100 fly on Thursday, she clocked a 48.97 to claim the 100 free crown. Swimming in lane 5, Compagner was out quickly. She and Indy’s Johanna Buys flipped together in 23.55 at the 50 wall, but Compagner’s second half was the fastest in the field. She came home in 25.42, holding off Henderson State’s Kiara Pozvai down the stretch.

Compagner finished .24 ahead of Pozvai (49.21), while Buys was another .34 behind. Her teammate Mika Heideyer, who was .37 faster on the second half, nearly caught her but finished fourth with 49.66.

Men’s 100 Freestyle – Finals

• NCAA DII Record: 41.25 – Karol Ostrowski, Drury (2021)
• Meet Record: 41.25 – Karol Ostrowski, Drury (2021)

Podium:

1. Lamar Taylor, Henderson St. – 42.30
2. Gregg Lichinsky, McKendree – 42.37
3. Jack Armstrong, Henderson St. – 43.40
4. Matthew Bosch, Grand Valley – 43.65
5. Viacheslav Ohnov, Wingate – 43.69
6. Khameron Glass, Drury – 43.72
7. Joao Silva, Indy – 43.76
8. Marcel Snitko, Wingate – 44.06

After titles in the 50 free and 100 back, Henderson State junior Lamar Taylor won his third individual event of the meet with 42.30 in the 100 free. Taylor was aggressive on the front half, flipping first at the 50 in 19.95. Just behind were McKendree’s Gregg Lichinsky (20.10), Taylor’s teammate Jack Armstrong (20.41), and Drury’s Kham Glass (20.49).

The second half was a battle between Taylor and Lichinsky, who closed the gap on the third 25 and seemed to have the momentum heading home. But Taylor dug in and got his hand to the wall first, stopping the clock .07 ahead of Lichinsky.

Armstrong finished third, successfully holding off Grand Valley’s Matthew Bosch and Wingate’s Viacheslav Ohnov, who both came home three-tenths faster.

Women’s 200 Backstroke – Finals

• NCAA DII Record: 1:54.48 – Hannah Peiffer, Queens (NC) (2017)
• Meet Record: 1:54.48 – Hannah Peiffer, Queens (NC) (2017)

Podium:

1. Alexandra Waller, Drury – 1:55.20
2. Kaitlyn McCoy, Indy – 1:56.59
3. Kyla Blakemore, Carson-Newman – 1:58.18
4. Celina Marquez, Nova S’eastern – 1:58.83
5. Marta Beesmans, Wingate – 1:59.39
6. Luna Mertins, Lynn – 1:59.63
7. Mia Krstevska, Indy – 1:59.92
8. Madysen Barnes, Tampa – 2:01.77

Drury’s Alexandra Waller controlled the race from beginning to end. She was out in 27.07 and followed with 28.9 / 29.5 / 29.6 for a winning 1:55.20, which undercut her seed time by eight-tenths.

Indy fifth year Kaitlyn McCoy, who finished fourth last year, went out with Waller and was able to maintain her position in second place throughout the race. She finished second with 1:56.69, seven-tenths faster than she had been a year ago.

Luna Mertins, the 2022 runner-up, was in third place at the 50 but Celina Marquez of Nova S’eastern passed her at the 100. Marquez remained in third until the final 50, when Carson-Newman’s Kyla Blakemore came home eight-tenths faster to grab the bronze medal with 1:58.18.

Men’s 200 Backstroke – Finals

• NCAA DII Record: 1:40.73 – Benjamin Sampson, Colorado Mesa (2022)
• Meet Record: 1:40.74 – Matthew Josa, Queens (NC) (2014)

Podium:

1. Benjamin Sampson, Colorado Mesa – 1:41.54
2. Santiago Corredor, Tampa – 1:42.09
3. Nathan Bighetti, Drury – 1:42.25
4. Ney Chagas Filho, Wingate – 1:43.44
5. Andrew Rodriguez, Drury – 1:43.69
6. Parker Knollman, Tampa – 1:44.04
7. Raf Hendriks, St Cloud St – 1:45.38
8. William Mahone, Montevallo – 1:46.21

Drury’s Nathan Bighetti exploded off the blocks to take the early lead from lane 7. The 2022 bronze medalist flipped in 23.50 at the 50 to lead the field by seven-tenths. St. Cloud State’s Raf Hendriks was in second place with 24.28, followed by Wingate freshman Ney Chagas Filho, Tampa’s Santiago Corredor and Parker Knollman, and Colorado Mesa’s Benjamin Sampson.

Bighetti still led at the 100. Chagas Filho was in second place, and Sampson had moved up to third.

On the third 50, Sampson got past Chagas Filho but still trailed Bighetti by a second.

Over the final 50 yards, both Sampson and Corredor closed hard and finished 1-2 ahead of Bighetti. Sampson clocked a 1:41.54, eight-tenths off his D2 record but half a second ahead of Corredor. Corredor just squeaked past Bighetti, taking second place by .16.

Women’s 200 Breaststroke – Finals

• NCAA DII Record: 2:09.12 – Bailee Nunn, Drury (2017)
• Meet Record: 2:09.12 – Bailee Nunn, Drury (2017)

Podium:

1. Savanna Best, Nova S’eastern – 2:11.79
2. Lily Borgenheimer, Colorado Mesa – 2:11.83
3. Claire Conover, Drury – 2:13.61
4. Emilia Ronningdal, Nova S’eastern – 2:14.26
5. Lillian Sanocki, Wingate – 2:15.00
6. Rachel Johnson, IUP – 2:15.95
7. Celina Schmidt, Indy – 2:16.02
8. Mellie Wijk, Drury – 2:17.93

In a much closer than expected final, Savanna Best of Nova S’eastern completed the breaststroke sweep by getting past Colorado Mesa’s Lily Borgenheimer on the very last stroke.

Best took it out in 29.63, three-tenths faster than Borgenheimer. But Borgenheimer was .7 faster on the second 50 and took over the lead at the 100. She had built her advantage to a full second at the 150 wall.

Best kept on Borgenheimer’s shoulder on the seventh 25, and as they battled down the stretch, Borgenheimer was just a tick ahead under the flags. However, it appeared that she was about a half-stroke short of the wall. Faced with the glide-or-extra-stroke choice, she opted for the latter. Best got her hands to the wall just ahead of Borgenheimer and won in 2:11.79 to Borgenheimer’s 2:11.83.

Claire Conover of Drury was third from start to finish. She clocked a 2:13.61, improving on her seed time by .34. Her third-place finish was a massive win, however, as she had twice been disqualified this weekend – in the 400 IM and the 100 breast – for a butterfly kick on the breaststroke.

Men’s 200 Breaststroke – Finals

• NCAA DII Record: 1:51.71 – Anton Lobanov, Nova S’eastern (2015)
• Meet Record: 1:51.71 – Anton Lobanov, Nova S’eastern (2015)

Podium:

1. Daniel Garcia, Findlay – 1:54.51
2. JT Amrein, Oklahoma Christian – 1:55.14
3. Matteo Zampese, Florida Southern – 1:55.95
4. Filipe Pinheiro, McKendree – 1:56.09
5. Davi Mourao, Drury – 1:56.72
6. Richard Polasek, Davenport – 1:57.10
7. Owen Stender, Davenport – 1:58.75
8. Brayden Cole, Indy – 1:59.01

The last individual swimming event was a thriller, with Findlay’s Daniel Garcia coming from behind to snatch the national title away from defending champion, JT Amrein of Oklahoma Christian. Garcia, who didn’t make finals last year, finishing 21st in prelims with 2:00.50, clocked a 1:54.51 for the win.

Florida Southern’s Matteo Zampese set the early pace from lane 7, leading with 25.22 at the 50. Amrein took over at the 100, turning at 54.32. McKendree’s Filipe Pinheiro was in third place behind Amrein and Zampese.

Garcia made his move on the third 50, splitting 29.6 to move past Pinheiro into third. He went 29.3 on his final 50, getting past both Zampese and Amrein.

Men’s 1-Meter Diving – Finals

• NCAA DII Record: 618.70 – Dario DiFazio, Oakland Univ (1994)
• Meet Record: 618.70 – Dario DiFazio, Oakland Univ (1994

Podium:

1. Julio Osuna Kelly, Indy – 599.50
2. Jason Lenzo, Indy – 524.75
3. Cade Hammond, Indy – 513.15
4. Isaiah Cheeks, Colorado Mesa – 511.40
5. Cole Earl, Drury – 507.00
6. Zach Schering, Clarion – 505.05
7. Carter Wood, UTPB – 453.15
8. Wrigley Fields, Grand Valley – 439.40

Women’s 400 Freestyle Relay – Timed Finals

• NCAA DII Record: 3:18.04 – Queens (NC) (2018 and again in 2019)
• Meet Record: 3:18.04 – Queens (NC) (2018 and again in 2019)

Podium:

1. Indy – 3:20.34
2. Colorado Mesa – 3:21.18
3. Wingate – 3:21.48
4. Tampa – 3:21.81
5. Carson-Newman – 3:22.40
6. West Chester – 3:23.01
7. Drury – 3:23.45
8. Nova S’eastern – 3:23.55

Men’s 400 Freestyle Relay – Timed Finals

• NCAA DII Record: 2:49.98 – Queens (NC) (2019)
• Meet Record: 2:49.98 – Queens (NC) (2019)

Podium:

1. McKendree – 2:52.69
2. Indy – 2:53.39
3. Tampa – 2:53.91
4. Henderson State – 2:54.82
5. Drury – 2:55.50
6. Carson-Newman – 2:55.53
7. Grand Valley – 2:55.56
8. Wingate – 2:55.91

Final Team Standings – Women

1. Nova S’Eastern 536.5
2. Indy 488.5
3. Drury 352.5
4. Colorado Mesa 325
5. West Chester 237
6. Wingate 229
7. (TIE) Lynn / Carson-Newman 199
8. –
9. Wayne State 167
10. Tampa 128
11. McKendree 126
12. West Florida 123.5
13. Henderson St. 114
14. Grand Valley 109
15. IUP 108
16. NMU 85
17. Delta State 84
18. Clarion 58
19. Azusa Pacific 55
20. Augustana 45
21. CSU East Bay 35
22. Mines 27
23. Findlay 21
24. Oklahoma Christian 19
25. (TIE) Hillsdale / MSU Mankato 18
26. –
27. UMSL 17
28. Truman St. 15
29. (TIE) Saint Leo / St Cloud St 14
30. –
31. Umary 11
32. Florida Southern 8
33. Southern Conn 7
34. (TIE) Emmanuel / Rollins 6
35. –
36. Sioux Falls 5
37. Davenport 4
38. Catawba 3
39. PennWest 1

Final Team Standings – Men

1. Indy 527
2. Drury 450.5
3. McKendree 352.5
4. Tampa 327
5. Colorado Mesa 274.5
6. Grand Valley 239
7. Findlay 226.5
8. Wingate 226
9. Henderson St. 200
10. Oklahoma Christian 194.5
11. Florida Southern 185.5
12. Nova S’Eastern 151.5
13. St Cloud St 106
14. Wayne State 88
15. Clarion 76
16. Carson-Newman 62
17. Missouri S & T 48
18. Saginaw Valley 39
19. Emmanuel 34
20. Davenport 28
21. UT Permian Basin 26
22. UMSL 25
23. Delta State 24.5
24. West Chester 22
25. NMU 20
26. Lewis 18
27. Lenoir-Rhyne 13
28. Florida Tech 12
29. Montevallo 11
30. Mines 10
31. Rollins 6
32. IUP 5
33. Fresno Pacific 2