2022 NCAA Division III Championships: Emory Has Big Morning in Women’s Race

Clio Hancock; Photo Courtesy: Emory Athletics

2022 NCAA Division III Championships: Emory Has Big Morning in Women’s Race

Through two days of the 2022 NCAA Division III Championships, the women’s team competition has been a two-horse race. The third horse, Emory, signaled its intent Friday morning to get in the game.

Kenyon leads the women’s competition by 2.5 points over Denison, 248-245.5. But in the three individual events for which preliminaries were held Friday at IU Natatorium, Emory put itself in the best position to climb up from third, with 215 points. The Eagles have three A finalists and three B finalists Friday night, compared to two and two for Kenyon and just two A finalists for Denison.

With the Emory men already comfortably ahead in the team standings, it could be a big day for the Eagles.

The prelims summary is below. The finals session Friday will include men’s 1-meter diving and the 800 free relays, for which there was no preliminary heats.

2022 NCAA Division III Championships Links

2022 NCAA Division III Championships Team Scores

Men - Team Rankings - Through Event 19                      
  1. Emory                             243   2. Denison                           171
  3. Johns Hopkins                     170   4. Williams                          161
  5. Chicago                           153   6. MIT                             138.5
  7. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps            130   8. Kenyon                          121.5
  9. John Carroll                       80  10. Wash U MO                          73
 11. Rowan                              70  12. Carnegie Mellon                    59
 13. Calvin                             52  14. Franklin & Marshall                45
 15. NYU                                43  16. Pomona-Pitzer                      38
 17. UW Eau Claire                      35  18. Trinity University                 29
 19. Tcnj                               20  20. Coast Guard                        18
 21. Ithaca                             17  21. Bates                              17
 21. Tufts                              17  24. Westminster                        13
 25. Whitman                            12  26. Cal Lutheran                       11
 26. Rhodes College                     11  28. SUNY-Geneseo                        9
 29. Whitworth                           8  30. Birmingham Southern                 6
 31. Hope College                        5  31. Springfield College                 5
 33. Swarthmore                          3  33. Franklin College                    3
 35. Bowdoin                             2  35. Colby                               2
 37. Gustavus                            1  37. Roger Williams                      1

Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 20                     
  1. Kenyon                            248   2. Denison                         245.5
  3. Emory                             215   4. Williams                          149
  5. Pomona-Pitzer                     134   6. Chicago                           114
  6. Tufts                             114   8. MIT                               104
  9. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps             95  10. Johns Hopkins                    82.5
 11. Amherst                            68  12. Bates                              58
 12. St. Kate's                         58  14. NYU                                56
 15. Bowdoin                            42  16. Wheaton MA                         41
 17. Conn College                       26  18. Nazareth                           25
 19. Wash U MO                          18  20. Ithaca                             16
 21. Wittenberg                         14  21. Hope College                       14
 23. Mary Washington                    12  24. Caltech                            11
 25. Trinity University                  9  26. Gustavus                            8
 26. Middlebury                          8  28. Colby                               7
 29. Ursinus                             6  29. Centre                              6
 31. Albion                              5  32. UW-Stevens Point                    2
 33. Suny Cortland                       1  33. Wellesley                           1

Men’s 200 butterfly

Denison could make a move in the 200 fly, with the third and fourth seed in the final, via seniors Richie Kurlich and Noah Houskeeper. Both are in the 1:47s, .05 apart.

The top seed in prelims went to Frank Appelbaum of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in 1:46.49. He had been the top seed entering the meet. Jeffrey Vitek of Johns Hopkins is third. Watch for Jesse Ssengonzi of Chicago, the winner of the 100 fly, who was the second seed entering the morning but slipped to seventh in 1:48.01.

Emory didn’t get an A finalist, but the Eagles packed the consolation final with three swimmers.

 Event 21  Men 200 Yard Butterfly
==================================================================
  NCAA Record: * 1:44.56  3/17/2017 Brandon Lum, Wash U
 Meet Qualify:   1:48.83
  2019 Winner:   1:45.48            Brandon Lum, Wash U
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Applebaum, Frank       SO CMS               1:46.06    1:46.49  
                 23.24        50.30 (27.06)
        1:17.92 (27.62)     1:46.49 (28.57)
  2 Vitek, Jeffrey         SR Johns Hopkins     1:46.77    1:46.95  
                 23.74        50.87 (27.13)
        1:18.43 (27.56)     1:46.95 (28.52)
  3 Kurlich, Richie        SR Denison           1:46.96    1:47.19  
                 23.85        50.97 (27.12)
        1:18.77 (27.80)     1:47.19 (28.42)
  4 Houskeeper, Noah       SR Denison           1:48.32    1:47.24  
                 24.10        51.27 (27.17)
        1:19.27 (28.00)     1:47.24 (27.97)
  5 Zeineddin, Pierre      FR Caltech           1:48.82    1:47.72  
                 24.71        52.12 (27.41)
        1:19.72 (27.60)     1:47.72 (28.00)
  5 Nybo, AJ               5Y Cal Lutheran      1:48.48    1:47.72  
                 23.77        50.91 (27.14)
        1:19.71 (28.80)     1:47.72 (28.01)
  7 Ssengonzi, Jesse       SO Chicago           1:46.39    1:48.01  
                 24.03        51.71 (27.68)
        1:19.65 (27.94)     1:48.01 (28.36)
  8 Schreier, Ethan        FR Tufts             1:48.29    1:48.08  
                 23.46        50.23 (26.77)
        1:18.06 (27.83)     1:48.08 (30.02)

Women’s 200 butterfly

NYU’s Caitlin Marshall is the lone freshman in the final, but she’s also the fastest swimmer, regardless of class. Marshall set the pace in the morning at 2:01.11 .89 clear of Illinois Wesleyan’s Ellen Gilbert. Places two through eight were clustered within .45 seconds. The second seed entering the meet, Emory’s Clio Hancock, is fifth after going 2:02.20 in the morning. She has been 2:01.23 this season.

Event 22  Women 200 Yard Butterfly
==================================================================
  NCAA Record: * 1:55.66  3/23/2012 Logan Todhunter, Williams
 Meet Qualify:   2:04.75
  2019 Winner:   2:00.40            Honore Collins, NYU
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Marshall, Caitlin      FR NYU               2:00.88    2:01.11  
                 26.99        57.60 (30.61)
        1:29.25 (31.65)     2:01.11 (31.86)
  2 Gilbert, Ellen         SR IWU               2:03.08    2:02.00  
                 28.16        58.81 (30.65)
        1:29.64 (30.83)     2:02.00 (32.36)
  3 Chan, Zoe              SR TCNJ              2:03.71    2:02.04  
                 27.42        58.00 (30.58)
        1:29.52 (31.52)     2:02.04 (32.52)
  4 Meszaros, Sandra       JR Wash U            2:02.24    2:02.18  
                 26.97        57.79 (30.82)
        1:29.36 (31.57)     2:02.18 (32.82)
  5 Hancock, Clio          SR Emory             2:01.23    2:02.20  
                 27.18        58.03 (30.85)
        1:29.48 (31.45)     2:02.20 (32.72)
  6 Higgins, Andrea        SR Conn College      2:02.01    2:02.23  
                 27.27        58.41 (31.14)
        1:30.07 (31.66)     2:02.23 (32.16)
  7 Ye, Alice              SR Chicago           2:03.71    2:02.35  
                 27.80        58.83 (31.03)
        1:30.27 (31.44)     2:02.35 (32.08)
  8 Axas, Anna             JR Kenyon            2:02.51    2:02.45  
                 27.89        58.04 (30.15)
        1:30.00 (31.96)     2:02.45 (32.45)

Men’s 100 backstroke

The top seed in the 400 IM resulted in silver for Ithaca’s Jack Wadsworth on Thursday, but he bounced back with the fastest swim in prelims at 47.09. The favorite, though, might by CMS’s Nic Tekieli, who cracked a 47.19 off the front of the 400 medley relay and went 47.22 Friday. Tanner Filion of Whitman and Yurii Kosian of Kenyon are tied as the fifth seed in 47.45. Just seven-tenths separate the finalists.

Though Kenyon pushed two swimmers into the A final, not among them is 2019 David Fitch. The runner-up in the 100 fly, despite setting a Division III Championships record in prelims, slid to 13th in 48.48. He went 46.66 in winning in 2019.

Event 23  Men 100 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
  NCAA Record: * 46.62  3/17/2017 Ben Lin, Williams
 Meet Qualify:   48.63
  2019 Winner:   46.66            David FItch, Kenyon
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Wadsworth, Jack        FR Ithaca              47.34      47.09  
                 22.93        47.09 (24.16)
  2 Tekieli, Nic           SO CMS                 48.50      47.22  
                 22.81        47.22 (24.41)
  3 Filion, Tanner         JR Whitman             47.74      47.45  
                 23.01        47.45 (24.44)
  3 Kosian, Yurii          SO Kenyon              47.53      47.45  
                 22.97        47.45 (24.48)
  5 Britton, Justin        5Y Carnegie Mellon     48.20      47.50  
                 23.46        47.50 (24.04)
  6 Janicki, Adam          JR MIT                 47.12      47.55  
                 23.38        47.55 (24.17)
  7 Pruett, Spencer        JR Kenyon              48.41      47.67  
                 23.14        47.67 (24.53)
  8 Whitcomb, Nick         JR Williams            47.73      47.79  
                 22.85        47.79 (24.94)

Women’s 100 backstroke

NYU entered 14th in the team competition, which stands to change considerably. Marhsall was followed by Jessica Flynn grabbing the top seed in the 100 back, the junior clocking in at 54.38. Emory’s Megan Jungers is the second seed in 54.73, with Kenyon’s Olivia Smith third in what should be an open final.

The event didn’t include 2019 champion Crile Hart, who opted for Saturday’s 200 back instead and has been in sizzling form this week.

Event 24  Women 100 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
  NCAA Record: * 53.46  3/22/2013 Celia Oberholzer, Kenyon
 Meet Qualify:   56.87
  2019 Winner:   53.81            Crile Hart, Kenyon
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Flynn, Jessica         JR NYU                 53.95      54.38  
                 26.67        54.38 (27.71)
  2 Jungers, Megan         SO Emory               54.10      54.73  
                 26.38        54.73 (28.35)
  3 Smith, Olivia          JR Kenyon              54.71      54.99  
                 26.69        54.99 (28.30)
  4 Verkleeren, Sophia     FR Williams            54.89      55.10  
                 26.41        55.10 (28.69)
  5 Cheshire, Annalise     SR Denison             55.16      55.60  
                 26.68        55.60 (28.92)
  6 Cassily, Sophie        FR Bates               55.23      55.73  
                 26.87        55.73 (28.86)
  6 Okubo, Sydney          SR Johns Hopkins       55.86      55.73  
                 26.75        55.73 (28.98)
  8 Kraus, Sara            FR Hope                55.58      55.93  
                 26.82        55.93 (29.11)

Men’s 100 breaststroke

A scant seven hundredths separated Johns Hopkins’ Max Chen and Luke Rodarte of Cal Lutheran in prelims. Chen took top honors in 53.22, and the seniors are likely to battle it out in the final, the only two in the field to have been sub-53 this season. Emory’s Jason Hamilton is third in 53.79, followed by a pair of 53.9s.

Event 25  Men 100 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
  NCAA Record: * 50.94  3/17/2017 Andrew Wilson, Emory
 Meet Qualify:   54.86
  2019 Winner:   53.38            Collin Miller, UW Eau Claire
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Chen, Max              SR Johns Hopkins       52.79      53.22  
                 24.91        53.22 (28.31)
  2 Rodarte, Luke          SR Cal Lutheran        52.98      53.29  
                 25.08        53.29 (28.21)
  3 Hamilton, Jason        SR Emory               54.44      53.79  
                 25.48        53.79 (28.31)
  4 Clasen, Garrett        SO Chicago             54.39      53.96  
                 25.44        53.96 (28.52)
  5 Grover, Jacob          SO Williams            53.47      53.98  
                 25.46        53.98 (28.52)
  6 Meyer, Jake            SO Emory               54.21      54.10  
                 25.24        54.10 (28.86)
  7 Bylander, Michael      SR UWEC                54.09      54.14  
                 25.61        54.14 (28.53)
  8 Wu, Kyle               JR Johns Hopkins       54.13      54.17  
                 25.40        54.17 (28.77)

Women’s 100 breaststroke

Edenna Chen’s prelims time of 1:00.29 is already faster than the winning time in 2019, and it has the MIT junior flirting with a sub-minute time in the final. She was more than a second upon the field, with Jenna Fadely of Kenyon second in 1:01.50. Jordan Wentzel of St. Kate’s rounds out the top three, with Edie Bates of Emory fourth. Denison’s second A finalist of the morning, CC Crane, scraped into the final in eighth.

Event 26  Women 100 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
  NCAA Record: *   59.77  3/23/2018 KT Kustritz, Denison
 Meet Qualify:   1:04.36
  2019 Winner:   1:00.60            KT Kustritz, Denison
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Chen, Edenna           JR MIT               1:00.43    1:00.29  
                 28.18      1:00.29 (32.11)
  2 Fadely, Jennah         FR Kenyon            1:01.37    1:01.50  
                 29.04      1:01.50 (32.46)
  3 Wentzel, Jordyn        SR St. Kate's        1:01.15    1:01.66  
                 29.27      1:01.66 (32.39)
  4 Bates, Edie            SR Emory             1:02.91    1:02.24  
                 29.54      1:02.24 (32.70)
  5 Wager, Amanda          SO Williams          1:01.68    1:02.25  
                 29.53      1:02.25 (32.72)
  6 Brooks, Kinsey         SO Mary Washington   1:01.91    1:02.59  
                 29.31      1:02.59 (33.28)
  7 Gill, Alexandra        SR Pomona-Pitzer     1:03.11    1:02.71  
                 29.39      1:02.71 (33.32)
  8 Crane, CC              JR Denison           1:03.47    1:02.98  
                 30.06      1:02.98 (32.92)

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