2017 NCAA Division II Men: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

Division II Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships

• March 8-11, 2017
• Birmingham CrossPlex, Birmingham, Alabama
• Prelims 10:30 AM, Finals 6 PM – U.S. Central Time Zone (GMT -6 currently)
• Event schedule
• Real-time results – diving
• Real-time results – swimming
• Video link (expected to be available when meet starts)
• Championship Central

Men’s 1650 Yard Freestyle – Fastest Heat

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

1. Joan Casanovas, Drury 15:11.20
2. Franco Lupoli, Nova S’eastern 15:14.30
3. Erik Hren, Bridgeport 15:16.91
4. Mackenzie Hamill, Simon Fraser 15:17.58
5. Samuel Bryant, Colorado Mesa 15:20.63
6. Tim Woinoski, Simon Fraser 15:26.89
7. Alexandre Reinbrecht, Drury 15:26.99
8. Robert Griffith, Cal Baptist 15:27.38

Drury freshman Joan Casanovas, who had placed second in the 1000 free and the 200 free and had won the 500 free, set the pace early on, getting out to a quick start and looking like he might challenge the Division II record in the event. Nova S’eastern junior Franco Lupoli, the 1000 free champion, hung back for the first 600, then moved up to place himself at Casanovas’ hip to take advantage of the draft. The two matched stroke-for-stroke from the 1000 onward.

Casanovas and Lupoli began their descent together at the 1000, and traded leads seemingly at each end of the pool. Casanovas came off the lap counter wall first, while Lupoli kept catching him at the start end. Casanovas tried to separate himself at the 1450 but Lupoli wouldn’t let go. As they got the bell for the final 50, Casanovas put his legs in and finished a body length up on Lupoli. The final outcome was 15:11.20 for Casanovas; 15:14.30 for Lupoli.

Bridgeport freshman Erik Hren, who had dropped 24 seconds to lead the morning’s heats of miles with 15:16.91, placed third overall. Second in his heat was Drury junior Alexandre Reinbrecht with 15:26.99; he wound up seventh.

Men’s 100 Yard Freestyle – Final

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

1. Marius Kusch, Queens (NC) 03
2. Mattia Schirru, Delta State 43.31
3. Lajos Budai, NMU 43.33
4. Dion Dreesens, Queens (NC) 43.38
5. Thiago Sickert, Nova S’eastern 43.46
6. Victor Rocha Furtado, Florida Tech 43.71
7. Jonathan Glaser, Missouri S & T 43.96
8. Martin Hammer, TAMPA 44.31

From the outset it was a dogfight among Queens sophomore Marius Kusch, Delta State sophomore Mattia Schirru, and Northern Michigan freshman Lajos Budai. The trio shot out off the start, came into the 50 wall together, and finished together. Kusch led the other two by about an arm’s length, and held that lead through to the finish. He touched in 43.03, while Schirru touched out Budai, 43.31 to 43.38. Queens senior Dion Dreesens had an impressive second half; he nearly caught Schirru and Budai, but wound up fourth with 43.38.

Men’s 200 Yard Backstroke – Final

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

1. Paul Pijulet, Queens (NC) 1:42.08
2. Marco Palacios, Florida Southern 1:43.44
3. Marco Aldabe, Nova S’eastern 1:45.71
4. Rodrigo Codo Berti, Indy 1:45.84
5. Michael Cohn, UCSD 1:45.90
6. Daniel Buijs, McKendree 1:46.08
7. Renars Bundzis, NMU 1:46.38
8. Felix Eigel, Lindenwood 1:47.39

After taking 7/10 off his seed time in prelims Queens junior Paul Pijulet dropped another 1.6 seconds to win the 200 back, his third individual title, with 1:42.08. Florida senior Marco Palacios turned first at the 50, but Pijulet pulled ahead at the 100 wall. He had a full body-length lead at the 150 wall, then came home in clear water for the win. Palacios was all alone at second, going 1:43.44, while Marco Aldabe of Nova S’eastern was the first to the wall among a group of four, all bunched together.

Men’s 200 Yard Breaststroke – Final

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

1. Anton Lobanov, Nova S’eastern 1:51.83
2. Maksim Shcherbakov, Fresno Pacific 1:54.28
3. Alexander Peach, Delta State 1:54.69
4. Luis Jasso, Florida Southern 1:55.98
5. Marius Mikalauskas, Grand Valley 1:56.48
6. Nicholas Arakelian, Queens (NC) 1:56.49
7. Michael Oliver, West Chester 1:57.18
8. Eric Tolman, Cal Baptist 1:57.85

Double-defending champion and NCAA Division II meet record-holder, Nova S’eastern junior Anton Lobanov, added the 200 breast title to the 100 he had already won on Friday. Swimming in lane 5, Lobanov left no doubt that he was the man to beat in this race. He turned first at the 50 wall, already a half body length up. By the 100 wall he had increased his lead, and only Fresno Pacific junior Maksim Shcherbakov was anywhere near him. By the 150 Lobanov was almost two body lengths ahead, and it looked like his NCAA record, set two years ago, was in danger. He got his hands on the wall at 1:51.83, just .12 off his meet mark. Coming in second was Shcherbakov with 1:54.28. Delta State junior Alexander Peach had a solid back half and touched third in 1:54.69.

Men’s 400 Yard Freestyle Relay – Final

• Division II: 2:53.89 3/11/2017 Queens

1. Queens (NC) 2:53.00R
2. Wingate 2:55.01
3. Florida Southern 2:56.01
4. Nova S’eastern 2:56.18
5. Drury 2:56.24
6. Florida Tech 2:56.45
7. Missouri S & T 2:58.76
8. Bloomsburg 3:01.93

Final Standings

1. Queens (Nc) 563.5
2. Drury 350
3. Nova S’Eastern 313
4. Florida Southern 265
5. Grand Valley 255
6. Wingate 198
7. Lindenwood 175
8. Delta State 160
9. Fresno Pacific 156
10. Simon Fraser 154
11. Indy 136
12. Cal Baptist 129.5
13. Florida Tech 127
14. Missouri S & T 120
15. Bloomsburg 116
16. Wayne State 114
17. Colorado Mesa 103
18. West Chester 100.5
19. Ucsd 94.5
20. Bridgeport 89
21. Nmu 73
22. Limestone 59
23. Tampa 54
24. Clarion 35
25. McKendree 34
26. Carson-Newman 24
27. Lewis 12
28. Truman St. 11
29. Southern Connecticut State 4
30. Queens (Ny) 2
30. Saint Leo 2
32. Catawba 1