2019 NCAA Division III Women’s Championships – Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2019 NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN’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: Emory (9x) (results)
• Digital Program
• Official Psych Sheet
• Live Video
• Live Results │ Diving Results
• Championship Central

DAY TWO FINALS

WOMEN’S 200 YARD FREESTYLE RELAY – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:30.52 3/16/2017, Emory (Muir, Sanchez-Aizcorbe, Taylor, Bergh)

1. Emory – 1:31.73
2. Kenyon – 1:31.77
3. Denison – 1:31.95

Fiona Muir, last night’s champion in the 50 free, got the ball rolling for the Eagle’s relay with a 23.08. Denison’s Maddie Hopkins and Kenyon’s Emmie Mirus followed closely behind in 23.13 and 23.17. Emory got a huge split on the second leg from Zoe Walker (22.50) to put a considerable distance on the rest of the field.

Kenyon’s Abby Wilson (22.87) closed the gap on the third leg to hand it off to fellow senior Hannah Orbach-Mandel. Although she had the fastest split of all the anchors (22.72), Emory’s Megan Taylor (22.95) held her off for the touch, claiming the title with a combined time of 1:31.73. Just a touch behind was Kenyon’s relay at 1:31.77, while KT Kustriz (22.73) brought the Big Red home in a final time of 1:31.95.

WOMEN’S 400 YARD INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 4:13.14 3/22/2012, Caroline Wilson, Emory

1. Honroe Colline, NYU – 4:15.17
2. Molly Craig, Williams – 4:15.46
3. Clio Hancock, Emory – 4:19.83
4. Natalie Zaravella, Denison – 4:19.89
5. Julia Durmer, Emory – 4:21.12
6. Kerry Kelly, Union – 4:24.53
7. Bridgette Kwong, Amherst – 4:25.66
8. Erica Hsu, Denison – 4:26.23

Williams sophomore Molly Craig, the defending champion in this event, put on a considerable distance over the rest of the field by the 200 mark. Though she kept her lead through the 300, Cilo Hancock, a freshman from Emory, put herself in the mix with a strong breaststroke leg.

With a monster freestyle leg, NYU’s Honroe Collins virtually came out of nowhere to overtake Molly Craig in the final 25, doubling up on IM wins with a 4:15.17 to take the 400 IM. Finishing just behind her was Craig in 4:15.46, followed by Hancock at 4:19.83. Denison’s Natalie Zaravella dropped almost four seconds off of her seed to take fourth with a 4:19.89. In her third top eight appearance in this event, Emory senior Julia Durmer took fifth in 4:21.12.

Completing the championship final was Union’s Kerry Kelly (4:24.53), Amherst’s Bridgette Kwong (4:25.66), and Denison’s Erica Hsu (4:26.23).

WOMEN’S 100 YARD BUTTERFLY – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 52.64 3/20/2014, Kirsten Nitz, Wheaton (IL)

1. Mara Hare, Williams – 54.58
2. Maddie Hopkins, Denison – 54.75
3. Alison MacQueen, Washington & Lee/Caroline Apathy, Bates – 54.90
4. –
5. Mary Laurita, Bowdoin – 54.91
6. Clara Baker, Ursinus – 55.21
7. Zoe Whelan, Denison – 55.51
8. Terra Matsushima, NYU – 56.24

William’s Maia Hare and Denison’s Maddie Hopkins were neck and neck coming down the final stretch. It appeared that Hopkins had the edge, but an extra stroke in the final couple yards very possibly cost her the win, as Hare got to cap off her senior year a national champion. The clocked times of 54.58 and 54.75, respectively.

Alison MacQueen of Washington & Lee and Caroline Apathy of Bates tied for third in a time of 54.90. The two barely beat out Bowdoin’s Mary Laurita, who claimed fifth with a 54.91.

Rounding out the rest of the final was Ursinus’s Clara Baker (55.21), Denison’s Zoe Whelan (55.51), and NYU’s Terra Matsushima (56.24).

WOMEN’S 200 YARD FREESTYLE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:44.82 3/24/2011, Kendra Stern, Amherst

1. Fiona Muir, Emory – 1:47.70
2. Laura Westphal, Williams – 1:47.74
3. Rebecca Erwin, Birmingham Southern – 1:48.85
4. Sterling Dixon, Bowdoin – 1:49.77
5. Abby Wilson, Kenyon – 1:50.24
6. Hannah Orbach-Mandel, Kenyon – 1:50.27
7. Kendall Vanderhoof, Kenyon – 1:50.61
8. Natalie Rumpelt, Amherst – 1:50.86

Fiona Muir took out fast in the first 100, but William’s Laura Westphal, the 500 free champion, was lurking in the distance. Making her move at the 150 mark, Westphal made up substantial ground; but it wasn’t enough to run down Muir who took her second title of the meet in a time of 1:47.70. BSC’s Rebecca Erwin, who finished a fraction behind Westphal in the 500, clinched third in 1:48.85.

Bowdoin’s Sterling Dixon was the last competitor in the field to break 1:50, claiming fourth in 1:49.77. Kenyon took 5th through 7th with Abby Wilson (1:50.24), Hannah Orbach-Mandel (1:50.27) and Kendall Vanderhoof (1:50.61). Amherst’s Natalie Rumpelt (1:50.86) also earned a top eight finish.

WOMEN’S 400 YARD MEDLEY RELAY

• NCAA Record: 3:39.57 3/17/2017, Emory (Cheng, Kowalsky, Sanchez-Aizcorbe, Muir)

1. Emory – 3:40.66
2. Denison – 3:40.77
3. Kenyon 3:42.44

Defending champion in the 100 back Crile Hart got the Ladies relay out to a head start with her 54.52 lead-off split, touching ahead of Emory’s Caroline Olson’s 55.07. KT Kustriz got Denison in the race with her 59.64 breaststroke leg, and 100 fly runner-up Maddie Hopkins further extended their lead with a scorching 53.89 split. With those two legs, Denison had ample distance on the rest of the field.

In Lezak fashion, Fiona Muir split a monster 48.88 to overcome over a second and a half deficit to earn her team the relay title, stopping the clock at 3:40.66. Denison’s Gabriella Nutter closed in 50.47 to finish her team off with a runner-up time of 3:40.77. Hannah Orbach-Mandel‘s 50.27 split secured a third place finish for the Ladies in 3:42.44.

Top 10 Team Scores:

1. Emory – 254
2. Kenyon – 230
3. Denison – 223
4. Williams – 181
5. NYU – 119
6. Pomona-Pitzer – 93
7. Chicago – 87
8. Washington & Lee – 86.5
9. John’s Hopkins – 74
10. Bowdoin – 67