2016 NCAA Division II Championships – Day 4 Finals Live Recap

Division II Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships

Women’s 1,650-yard Freestyle – Fastest Heat

  • NCAA DII: 16:17.66 3/15/2008 Kristen Frost, Southern Conn St

Theresa Hayward of West Chester was the fastest miler out of the morning heats with 16:52.82, a nearly 10-second improvement from her seed time. Megan Ouhl of Drury, with 16:53.02, was just behind.

The final heat of women’s 1650 free quickly became a three-woman race, as Leonie Van Noort of Grand Valley, Christina Halverson of Cal Baptist, and Alecia McGillivray of Lindenwood set the pace early on. Halverson led over the first half of the race, while Van Noort and McGillivray traded stroke for stroke about a body length back. Van Noort began her descent at around the 900, though, and pulled away quickly from the others to establish a strong lead. In the end they finished 1-2-3, with Van Noort winning in 16:34.44, followed by Halverson (16:39.50) and McGillivray (16:42.08).

Lindenwood’s Kyleigh Troxel took fourth in 16:50.57. Delta State’s Melanie Tombers was fifth with 16:52.18. Hayward and Ouhl of the morning heats placed sixth and seventh, respectively, while Bridgeport’s Annagrazia Bonsanti claimed eighth in 16:55.58.

  1. Leonie Van Noort, Grand Valley 16:34.44
  2. Christina Halverson, Cal Baptist 16:39.50
  3. Alecia McGillivray, Lindenwood 16:42.08
  4. Kyleigh Troxel, Lindenwood 16:50.57
  5. Melanie Tombers, Delta State 16:52.18
  6. Theresa Hayward, West Chester 16:52.82
  7. Megan Ouhl, Drury 16:53.02
  8. Annagrazia Bonsanti, Bridgeport 16:55.58

Men’s 1,650-yard Freestyle – Fastest Heat

  • NCAA DII: 15:00.51 3/14/2009 Mitch Snyder, Drury

Defending champion Nick Arakelian of Queens, who was seeded 13th coming into the final, put up the fastest time in the morning heats to make the time to beat 15:23.43. Just like in the 1000 free on Day One, Drury’s Alex Reinbrecht was just behind Arakelian; he went 15:24.46 in the morning. The third-fastest time belonged to West Chester junior Victor Polyakov, 15:31.02.

In the heat that swam with finals, Daniel Bis of Saint Leo went out front early to pace the field. From out in lane 1, Mackenzie Hamill of Simon Fraser took off to get clean water; his neighbor, Lindenwood’s Cristian Vasquez in lane 2, went with him. While the pair traded stroke for stroke, Bis opened up a 2 body length lead. The battle became more intense in lanes 1 and 2 as Hamill and Vasquez jockeyed for position. Vasquez took over the lead with about 200 to go but Hamill wouldn’t go away. The frenzy going on in the outside lanes spurred Hamill and Vasquez on past Bis. Then Hamill found another gear and killed his final 100. Hamill won with 15:19.73. Vasquez touched second in 15:20.66. Bis was third in the heat, but his time put him fifth overall behind Arakelian and Reinbrecht.

Robert Griffith of Cal Baptist almost caught Bis at the end, but finished sixth overall with 15:26.93. Polyakov’s morning swim earned him seventh overall, and Gustavo Silva Santa of Lindenwood got eighth overall with 15:34.61.

Top 8:

  1. Mackenzie Hamill, Simon Fraser 15:19.73
  2. Cristian Vasquez, Lindenwood 15:20.66
  3. Nick Arakelian, Queens (NC) 15:23.43
  4. Alex Reinbrecht, Drury 15:24.46
  5. Daniel Bis, Saint Leo 15:26.91
  6. Robert Griffith, Cal Baptist 15:26.93
  7. Victor Polyakov, West Chester 15:31.02
  8. Gustavo Silva Santa, Lindenwood 15:34.61

Women’s 100-yard Freestyle – Final

  • NCAA DII: 48.92 3/14/2015 Patri Castro Ortega, Queens (NC)

Drury junior Wen Xu, who won the 50 free on Day One and holds the NCAA Division II record in that event, had qualified first in prelims and occupied lane 4. She was out fast, turning first at both the 25 and 50 walls. Defending champion and 100 free record-holder Patri Castro Ortega was just behind her, though, making up the distance over the second half. The pair turned together at the 75 wall and Castro Ortega shut it down over the final 25, outsplitting Xu by a full second on the second half of the race. Castro Ortega won with a new NCAA Division II record of 48.54, while Xu touched second in 49.41, .28 off her morning time. Carson-Newman’s Margaret Stansberry placed third in 49.92, the only other sub-50 in the field.

Nicole Sisson of Truman State moved up two places to fourth with her finals swim of 50.26. Queens freshman Kyrie Dobson went 50.33 for fifth. She was followed by UC San Diego senior Colleen Daley (50.73), Florida Southern senior Kelsey Gouge (50.88), and Queens freshman Josephina Lorda (51.08).

Top 8:

  1. Patricia Castro Ortega, Queens (NC) 48.54
  2. Wen Xu, Drury 49.41
  3. Margaret Stansberry, Carson-Newman 49.92
  4. Nicole Sisson, Truman St. 50.26
  5. Kyrie Dobson, Queens (NC) 50.30
  6. Colleen Daley, UCSD 50.73
  7. Kelsey Gouge, Florida Southern 50.88
  8. Josephina Lorda, Queens (NC) 51.08

Men’s 100-yard Freestyle – Final

  • NCAA DII: 42.61 3/17/2012 Andrey Seryy, Wayne State

Queens junior Dion Dreesens, who had already won the 1000, 500, and 200 freestyle events, was going for the sweep in the final of the men’s 100 free. Defending champion and Nova Southeastern junior Thiago Sickert had put up the morning’s top time and was in lane 4. However it was Serghei Golban, the sophomore from Lindenwood, who stunned them both from out in lane 7.

Golban, who finished sixth last year, shot out to the early lead, turning a half-second ahead of the field already at the 50. While Sickert and Dreesens gained on him over the second 50, Golban hung on just long enough to get his hand to the wall first, and won in 42.96. Sickert, who was sixth to turn at the 50 wall, had the field’s fastest second half and came in second with 43.03.

Dreesens got third with 43.25, just ahead of Delta State freshman Mattia Schirru (43.40), Saint Leo senior Matheus Assis (43.43), Drury junior Daniel Rzadkowski (43.52), and Tampa junior Martin Hammer (43.80). Queens sophomore Ben Mayes took eighth with 44.52.

Top 8:

  1. Serghi Golban, Lindenwood 42.96
  2. Thiago Sickert, Nova S’eastern 43.03
  3. Dion Dreesens, Queens (NC) 43.25
  4. Mattia Schirru, Delta State 43.40
  5. Matheus Assis, Saint Leo 43.43
  6. Daniel Rzadkowski, Drury 43.52
  7. Martin Hammer, Tampa 43.80
  8. Ben Mayes, Queens (NC) 44.52

Women’s 200-yard Backstroke – Final

  • NCAA DII: 1:55.57 3/15/2014 Caroline Arakelian, Queens (NC)

After a second-place finish in the 100 back, Wingate junior Viktoriya Arkhipova came back to lead the field in the 200 distance with a commanding 1:55.90 win, just .43 off the NCAA Division II record set by Caroline Arakelian of Queens at the 2014 Championship. Arkhipova and Arakelian were side by side for most of the race, with the Wingate junior slightly ahead. Over the final 50, Colorado Mesa junior Mary Saiz moved into the picture and just out-touched Arakelian for second, 1:57.16 to 1:57.66.

Northern Michigan freshman Savanna Saunder took fourth with 1:58.06. Then came UCSD sophomore Julia Toronczak (1:59.10), Delta State junior Kierstin Page (1:59.57), Queens junior Hannah Peiffer (2:00.41), and Findlay junior Meri Cizmar (2:01.89).

Top 8:

  1. Viktoriya Arkhipova, Wingate 1:55.90
  2. Mary Saiz, Colorado Mesa 1:57.16
  3. Caroline Arakelian, Queens (NC) 1:57.66
  4. Savanna Saunders, NMU 1:58.06
  5. Julia Toronczak, UCSD 1:59.10
  6. Kierstin Page, Delta State 1:59.57
  7. Hannah Peiffer, Queens (NC) 2:00.41
  8. Meri Cizmar, Findlay 2:01.89

Men’s 200-yard Backstroke – Final

  • NCAA DII: 1:40.74 3/15/2014 Matthew Josa, Queens (NC)

Florida Southern junior Marco Palacios took it out like he had been shot out of a cannon, building up a half-body length lead by the 50. He was still ahead at the 100, but top qualifier Zack Phelps of Queens was starting to close in on him. By the 150 Palacios was in third behind Phelps and Michael Cohn of UCSD, and then he hit a wall. Phelps went on to win with 1:43.87, 1.6 seconds off his morning time. Cohn came in second, just holding off a fast-charging Joshua Hanson of Cal Baptist.

Gianni Ferrero of Grand Valley and Rodrigo Codo Berti of Indy tied for fourth in 1:45.66. Sixth went to Lindenwood junior Felix Eigel. Queens senior Ben Taylor was seventh with 1:46.99, and Palacios came in at 1:47.47 for eighth.

Top 8:

  1. Zack Phelps, Queens (NC) 1:43.87
  2. Michael Cohn, UCSD 1:44.28
  3. Joshua Hanson, Cal Baptist 1:44.37
  4. Gianni Ferrero, Grand Valley 1:45.66
  5. Rodrigo Codo Berti, Indy 1:45.66
  6. Felix Eigel, Lindenwood 1:46.60
  7. Ben Taylor, Queens (NC) 1:46.99
  8. Marco Palacios, Florida Southern 1:47.47

Women’s 200-yard Breaststroke – Final

  • NCAA DII: 2:10.77 3/14/2015 Rebecca Matthews, Lynn

In the final individual event of the women’s meet, defending champion Rebecca Matthews of Lynn repeated her 2015 title with 2:13.37. Although not quite as fast as last year, Matthews was one of only two swimmers in the championship final to go faster than she had in prelims. Fresno Pacific sophomore Daria Belova was the other one; her 2:15.00 moved her up two spots to finish fourth overall. Queens senior Brittney Phelan went 2:14.48 for second, just ahead of Jaimie Bryan of UCSD (2:14.60).

UCSD freshman Lily Maxfield (2:15.13), Delta State junior Melanie Tombers (2:15.36), West Florida senior Paulina Szydlo (2:15.98) and California University of Pennsylvania junior Jade Arganbright (2:17.11) rounded out the championship final.

Top 8:

  1. Rebecca Matthews, Lynn 2:13.37
  2. Brittney Phelan, Queens (NC) 2:14.48
  3. Jaimie Bryan, UCSD 2:14.60
  4. Daria Belova, Fresno Pacific 2:15.00
  5. Lily Maxfield, UCSD 2:15.13
  6. Melanie Tombers, Delta State 2:15.36
  7. Paulina Szydlo, West Florida 2:15.98
  8. Jade Arganbright, CALU-PA 2:17.11

Men’s 200-yard Breaststroke – Final

  • NCAA DII: 1:51.71 3/14/2015 Anton Lobanov, Nova S’eastern

The middle three lanes controlled the race from beginning to end. Delta State sophomore Alexander Peach, in lane 5, was first to turn at the 50 and again at the 100. Defending champion and current record-holder Anton Lobanov of Nova Southeastern was right with him, though. Peach had a strong third 50 and looked like he might take the title, but Lobanov came back over the last 50 and repeated his title with 1:53.29. Peach took second with 1:54.09. Fresno Pacific sophomore Maksim Shcherbakov, who had been with Lobanov and Peach for the first half of the race then fallen off at the 150, had a very strong final 50 and almost caught Peach; instead he finished third with 1:54.37.

Florida Southern sophomore Luis Jasso was fourth in 1:56.20, just getting to the wall ahead of Lindenwood senior Mateusz Pacholczyk (1:56.43). Delta State junior Matteo Fraschi went 1:57.05 for sixth, while Miguel Chavez of Missouri S&T (1:57.19) and West Chester junior Michael Oliver (1:58.80) placed seventh and eighth.

Top 8:

  1. Anton Lobanov, Nova S’eastern 1:53.29
  2. Alexander Peach, Delta State 1:54.09
  3. Maksim Shcherbakov, Fresno Pacific 1:54.37
  4. Luis Jasso, Florida Southern 1:56.20
  5. Mateusz Pacholczyk, Lindenwood 1:56.43
  6. Matteo Fraschi, Delta State 1:57.05
  7. Miguel Chavez, Missouri S&T 1:57.19
  8. Michael Oliver, West Chester 1:58.80

Men’s 3-meter Diving – Final

  • NCAA DII: 615.95 3/15/2014 Heath Calhoun, Clarion

Wereas the preliminary round of diving this morning was a back-and-forth contest between Clarion junior Collin Vest and Grand Valley freshman Brad Dalrymple, in finals it was all Vest. He avenged his second-place finish to Dalrymple on the 1-meter board with a big night of 3-meter diving, scoring 576.90 points for the win. Dalrymple’s teammate, sophomore Ian Ellis, wound up in second place with 553.85 points, just .70 ahead of Fresno Pacific junior Dustin Gragg.

St. Cloud State junior David Sufficool, who placed eighth in prelims, had a much better night and took fourth overall with 541.75. Lindenwood senior Schyler Hohenberger scored 539.05 for fifth, ahead of Dalrymple (537.75), Cal Baptist sophomore Zachary Parry (530.60), and West Chester sophomore Daniel Roy (524.95).

Women’s 400-yard Freestyle Relay – Final

  • NCAA DII: 3:18.75 3/14/2015 Queens (NC)

Castro Ortega (48.85), Dobson (50.14), Arakelian (50.84), and Shelly Prayson (50.47) ended the meet with a victory in the women’s 400 free relay. UC San Diego went 3:22.04 for second, ahead of Drury’s 3:23.09.

Top 8:

  1. Queens 3:20.27
  2. UCSD 3:22.04
  3. Drury 3:23.09
  4. Wingate 3:23.52
  5. West Florida 3:24.66
  6. Bridgeport 3:25.48
  7. Truman St. 3:26.15
  8. Florida Southern 3:26.35

Men’s 400-yard Freestyle Relay

  • NCAA DII: 2:54.37 3/15/2014 Drury

Queens’ Dion Dreesens got the Royals off to a good start with his leadoff split of 43.29, the fastest in the field. Phelps, although he was outsplit by Tampa’s Jordan Augier (43.32), Florida Southern’s Marco Palacios (43.45), and especially Saint Leo’s Matheus Assis (42.67), held on to the lead for Queens and sent Ben Taylor off in the first position.

Taylor’s 44.29 was just enough to keep Queens in first place at the last exchange, but he was outsplit by Lindenwood’s Golban (43.28), Tampa’s Kahldi Aldaboos (44.18), and Florida Southern’s Edson Lima (44.05). Queens’ Ben Mayes took off with a .17 lead on the field but it wasn’t enough. Tampa senior Jeremy Parker went 42.82 on the final 50 to out-split Queens’ Ben Mayes by 7/10. Tampa got the victory, and the NCAA record, with 2:54.07. Queens was second in 2:54.58. Drury took third with 2:55.11.

Top 8:

  1. TAMPA 2:54.07
  2. Queens (NC) 2:54.58
  3. Drury 2:55.11
  4. Florida Southern 2:55.35
  5. Delta State 2:56.88
  6. Saint Leo 2:57.78
  7. Lindenwood 2:58.89
  8. Florida Tech 3:00.23

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About Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant is the mother of four daughters, all of whom swam in college. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton (where she was an all-Ivy tennis player) and an MBA from INSEAD, she worked for many years in the financial industry, both in France and the U.S. Anne is currently …

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