Women's Swimming & Diving

Edited: Mar. 23, 2009

KENYON MEN RACK UP NCAA-RECORD 30TH SWIM TITLE;
WOMEN WIN THIRD IN A ROW, 23RD OVERALL

Kenyon found itself in familiar territory last week as the Lords and Ladies claimed the men's and women's NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving titles. The men have now won an NCAA-record 30 national titles in a row; The women have taken three straight and 23 overall.

The Lords won four of five relays and set records in all four. Senior Matthew Harris (Laurel, MD/DeMatha) won both the 100 (47.86 seconds) and 200 (1:46.74) butterfly events and was part of all four winning relays: 200 freestyle relay, 400 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay. Lord freshman Zachary Turk (Strongsville, OH/St. Edward) won the 50 free (19.93 seconds), and junior Kegan Borland (Vandergrift, PA/Saint Joseph) was champion of the 1650-yard free (15:19.98). Denison ended up third in the men's meet, followed by Ohio Wesleyan in 31st. Denison senior David Curtis (Ann Arbor, MI/Pioneer) won the 200 free in school record time (1:37.20) and was part of the Big Red's champion 800-yard free relay, along with senior John Geissinger (Darien, CT/The Lawrenceville School), sophomore Callen Hetterich (Denver, CO/Regis Jesuit) and freshman Dan Thurston (Ann Arbor, MI/Huron) that touched the wall in meet-record time (6:32.91). Ohio Wesleyan junior David Gatz (Delaware, OH/Hayes) earned All-America honors after he placed fourth in the 200 breaststroke. He posted a school-record time of 2:00.69. Gatz also placed sixth in the 100 breaststroke. He is the first multiple All-America swimmer from OWU since 1994.

The Ladies outdistanced second-place Emory by nearly 100 points, on the strength of numerous standout individual performances, and without a single relay win. Kenyon claimed five event victories over the four-day meet. Junior Tina Ertel (Halle, Germany/Sportsgymnasium Halle) won the 200 IM (2:02.31), senior Elizabeth Carlton (Cheyenne, WY/Central) took the 50 free in meet-record time (22.80), senior Tracy Menzel (Greencastle, IN/Greencastle) won the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:02.76, senior Carolyn Barer (Edina, MN/St. Patrick's) claimed the 200 backstroke in 2:00.15 and freshman Alisa Vereshchagin (Solon, OH/Solon) took the 200 breaststroke in 2:14.71. Denison finished third in the standings and won three relays – the 400 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay. All three foursomes set meet records. Junior Olivia Zaleski (Corry, PA/Corry Area) led off all three championship relays, and claimed the 200 backstroke (54.80) for herself. Allegheny finished tied for 24th, while Wittenberg tied for 42nd. The Gators' Erin Ham (Franklin, PA/Franklin Area) earned All-America honors with a fourth-place finish in the 200 breaststroke (2:18.21) and a fifth-place finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.06). Adeline Brym (Mansfield, OH/Lexington) of Wittenberg was eighth in the 200 backstroke to earn All-America honors. She set a school record in the event (2:02.62) during the prelims. Brym also broke a school mark in the prelims of the 500 freestyle (5:01.35). She was the first Tiger swimmer to compete at the NCAA meet since 2006.