2019 NCAA Division III Men’s Championships – Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2019 NCAA DIVISION III MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

MEN’S 500 YARD FREESTYLE – FINALS

  • NCAA Record: 4:18.35  3/15/2017, Arthur Conover, Kenyon
  1. Thomas Gordon, Emory – 4:24.19
  2. Jamie Lovette, Williams – 4:24.28
  3. Bryan Fitzgerald, Kenyon – 4:25.61
  4. Matthew Hedman, Denison – 4:25.93
  5. Robert Williams, Kenyon – 4:26.29
  6. Jason Hamilton, Emory – 4:26.37
  7. Jackson Karofsky, Williams – 4:26.57
  8. Connor Rumpit, Kenyon – 4:29.26

In a race too close to call, the lead was incredibly volatile the entire way through. For the majority of the race, freshman Bryan Fitzgerald of Kenyon and Jason Hamilton of Emory lead the way. Jamie Lovette took charge at the 400 mark, but defending champion Tom Gordon clinched the win in the final 50, hitting the pad in a time of 4:24.19 ahead of Lovette’s 4:24.28.

Fitzgerald held on to third to hold off Denison’s Matthew Hedman – the two touched at 4:25.61 and 4:25.93, respectively. Kenyon senior Robert Williams was dead last for a substantial portion of the race, but had a huge last 100 to take 5th in a 4:26.29.

Completing the top eight was Hamilton (4:26.37), Williams’s Jackson Karofsky (4:26.57) and Kenyon’s Connor Rumpit (4:29.26).

MEN’S 200 YARD INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – FINALS

  • NCAA Record: 1:44.18 3/15/2017, Andrew Wilson, Emory
  1. Bebe Wang, Denison – 1:47.02
  2. Kevin Van Cleave, Washington St. Louis – 1:47.19
  3. Collin Miller, Wisconsin-Eau Claire – 1:47.69
  4. Emile Kuyl, Johns Hopkins – 1:48.53
  5. Bouke Edskes, MIT – 1:48.55
  6. Mitch Williams, Denison – 1:49.11
  7. Luis Weekes, Kenyon – 1:49.44
  8. Ryan Stevenson, Denison – 1:49.71

Denison’s Bebe Wang lead from start to finish – the only swimmer under 50 at the 100 mark – touching the wall at 1:47.0, a new personal best for the junior. Almost running down Wang was Wash U. senior Kevin Van Cleave; sporting the fastest back-half in the field, he stopped the clock at 1:47.19. After leading the preliminary heats, UW-Eau Claire’s Collin Miller touched third in 1:47.69.

Senior Emile Kuyl of Johns Hopkins and junior Bouke Edskes of MIT touched virtually simultaneously. Kuyl ended up getting the reach, as the two recorded times of 1:48.53 and 1:48.55.

Also earning top eight finishes were Denison’s Mitch Williams (1:49.11), Kenyon’s Luis Weekes (1:49.44), and Denison’s Ryan Stevenson (1:49.71).

MEN’S 50 YARD FREESTYLE – FINALS

  • NCAA Record: 19.37 3/21/2018, Oliver Smith, Emory
  1. Roger Gu, Tufts – 19.49
  2. Trey Kolleck, Emory – 19.69
  3. Joseph Rodriguez, U.S. Coast Guard – 19.88
  4. Kymani Senior, Denison – 20.00
  5. David Fitch, Kenyon – 20.08
  6. Scott Romeyon, Amherst – 20.10
  7. Kevin Gillooly, Rowan – 20.20
  8. Christopher Schiavone, F&M – 20.23

Tufts junior Roger Gu went flying off the blocks and never looked back, taking the national title in a time of 19.49. Two more athletes joined Gu under the 20 second barrier: Trey Kolleck, a senior from Emory finished second with a 19.69; while Coast Guard junior Joseph Rodriguez, who swam in the consolation final last year, claimed the third spot in 19.88.

Denison’s Kymani Senior barely missed out on a 19 second swim, hitting the wall fourth in 20.00. Kenyon sophomore David Fitch earned a new personal best to net fifth with a 20.08.

Rounding out the field was Scott Romeyon (20.10), Kevin Gillooly (20.20), and Christopher Schiavone (20.23).

MEN’S 200 YARD MEDLEY RELAY – FINALS

  • NCAA Record: 1:26.14 3/15/2017, Emory (Ono, Wilson, Tollen, Smith)
  1. Denison – 1:27.83
  2. Emory – 1:28.48
  3. Johns Hopkins – 1:28.88

The Denison quartet of Carson Clear (22.41), Tiernan Foster-Smith (24.41), Colin Macmillan (21.24), and Kymani Senior (19.77) lead from start to finish to take the NCAA crown by a wide margin.

Bolstered by a strong back-half in Colin Lafave (21.16) and Trey Kolleck (19.50), Emory clinched the runner-up finish with a combined time of 1:28.48). Finishing closely behind them was John Hopkin’s team of Emile Kuyl (22.33), Max Chen (25.08), Brandon Fabian (21.48), and Nathaniel Davenport (19.99), who posted a final time of 1:28.88.

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THEO
4 years ago

pretty slow start. But when you only invite 16 people per event this is what you get. Whole system is a mess. A few people have off days and the next best swimmers in D3 are at home doing offseason things rather than right there to take their place. Still a fun meet to watch. Should be a decently close team race, methinks.

Murphy is my dad
Reply to  THEO
4 years ago

In most cases it’s not even 16 people getting invited in each event, I believe the invite line this year was not quite even every 15th seed

Commentor
Reply to  Murphy is my dad
4 years ago

It starts at 16 on the men’s side and 20 on the women’s side, if the 16th seed didn’t get invited then it’s because there was a tie in front of them.

Swisher
Reply to  Commentor
4 years ago

This doesn’t make sense. If there were a tie for 15th, then OK. If there were a tie for anything else, the 16th seed would still be invited.

Murphy is my dad
Reply to  Swisher
4 years ago

This year not even every 15th seed was invited, only 14 were invited in the 800 free relay and then every other 15th seed was invited

Swisher
Reply to  Murphy is my dad
4 years ago

16 were invited for every individual event. Should be a couple more, sure. You’re not helping, getting basic facts wrong.

Dcswim
4 years ago

While all the guys who hold the records for this day are practically D3 legends, the first two swims were particularly slow

2Fat4Speed
4 years ago

Slow meet so far…

Murphy is my dad
4 years ago

The D3 system is broken