2023 NCAA Division III Championships – Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2023 NCAA Division III Women’s and Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships

• Dates: Wednesday, March 15 – Saturday, March 18, 2023
• Location: Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, NC
• Times: Prelims 10:00 AM / Finals 6:00 PM
• Defending Champs: Kenyon women (1x) & Emory men (1x)
• Fan Guide
• Results Page
• Women’s Psych Sheet
• Men’s Psych Sheet
• Live Streaming on NCAA.com
• Live Results
• Day 1 Full Results (PDF)
• Day 2 Full Results (PDF)

FRIDAY FINALS HEAT SHEETS

Top 10 Women’s Teams After Day 2

1. Denison 281.5
2. Emory 196
3. Kenyon 191
4. Tufts 163.5
5. Williams 154
6. Nyu 118
7. Chicago 117.5
8. Pomona-Pitzer 115.5
9. MIT 95
10. Johns Hopkins 68.5

Top 10 Men’s Teams After Day 2

1. Kenyon 282.5
2. Emory 257.5
3. Chicago 198
4. MIT 137
5. Williams 117
6. Johns Hopkins 100
7. Calvin 96
8. Carnegie Mellon 83
9. Wash U. MO 82
10. Denison 71

Day 3 of the 2023 NCAA Division III Women’s and Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships will crown the national champions in the women’s and men’s 200 fly, 100 back, 100 breast, the women’s 1-meter diving, and the 800 free relay.

Defending champion and NYU sophomore Caitlin Marshall is top seed in the 200 fly (2:00.10) but will face challenges from NYU’s Nicole Ranile (2:00.60) and Chicago’s Alesha Kelly (2:00.91). Olivia Smith of Kenyon posted the top time of the morning (54.67) in the 100 back; the next seven qualifiers, led by Emory’s Megan Jungers, are only separated by .47. Kenyon sophomore Jennah Fadely (1:00.80) and defending champion Edenna Chen of MIT (1:01.60) will go head-to-head in the 100 breast; Charlotte Wishnack of Williams could be a spoiler.

The men’s 200 fly is going to be a thriller, with Connecticut College sophomore Justin Finkel (1:45.66), defending champion and NCAA record-holder Frank Applebaum of CMS (1:46.22), and Chicago junior Jesse Ssengonzi (1:46.96) in the middle lanes. In the 100 back, Tanner Filion of Whitman (47.02) will do battle with John Carroll senior Liam McDonnell (47.26), Bates senior Nathan Berry (47.29), and MIT’s Adam Janicki (47.32) who broke the NCAA D3 record last night leading off the medley relay in 46.54. Emory’s Jake Meyer (53.13) and Jason Hamilton (53.65) will face Chicago’s Garrett Clasen in the 100 breast final.

Women’s 200 Butterfly – Finals

• NCAA D3 Record: 1:55.66 – Logan Todhunter, Williams (2012)
• 2022 Winner: 1:59.20 – Caitlin Marshall, NYU

Podium:

1. Alesha Kelly, Chicago – 1:59.88
2. Caitlin Marshall, NYU – 1:59.98
3. Nicole Ranile, NYU – 2:00.34
4. Anna Axas, Kenyon – 2:02.05
5. Samantha Kilcoyne, Williams – 2:02.21
6. Abigail Smith, PP – 2:02.37
7. Augusta Lewis, CMS – 2:02.67
8. Lara Wujciak, Tufts – 2:03.15

With a stunning back half, Chicago’s Alesha Kelly snatched the 200 fly title away from NYU’s Caitlin Marshall, who had led through the first 140 yards. Marshall was out in 26.91, while the rest of the field was bunched up in 27-lows. Kelly moved from seventh place at the 50 to second at the 100 with a split of 29.9. She turned at nearly exactly the same time as Marshall at the 150 wall, then came home .06 faster to get the win by .10, 1:59.88 to 1:58.98.

NYU’s Nicole Ranile was all alone in third place from the 100 onward. She finished less than half a body behind the winners with 2:00.34.

Men’s 200 Butterfly – Finals

• NCAA D3 Record: 1:44.01 – Frank Applebaum, C-M-S (2022)
• 2022 Winner: 1:44.01 – Frank Applebaum, C-M-S

Podium:

1. Frank Applebaum, CMS – 1:43.96 MEET / D3 RECORD
2. Justin Finkel, Connecticut – 1:44.32
3. Jesse Ssengonzi, Chicago – 1:45.68
4. Avery Clapp, JHU – 1:46.25
5. Ethan Schrier, Tufts – 1:47.20
6. Aleksander Tarczynski, Carnegie Mellon – 1:47.89
7. Drew Scheib, RIT – 1:47.97
8. Matthew Walker, WashU – 1:48.22

Frank Applebaum of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps successfully defended his 2022 title in the 200 fly, signing a new meet and NCAA Division III record of 1:43.96 in the process. Applebaum went out like a rocket, turing in 23.16 at the first 50. Jesse Ssengonzi of Chicago was right behind, in 23.29.

Applebaum pulled out to a body-length lead by the 100 with 49.64. Ssengonzi and Ethan Schreier of Tufts trailed in 50.5 and 50.6, respectively.

On the third 50, Applebaum maintained his one-body advantage, but this time it was Justin Finkel of Connecticut College who was in second place, as he split a massive 26.62 on his third 50 to pass Ssengonzi and Schreier.

Applebaum came home in 27.2 to lock in his win with 1:43.96. Finkel had the fastest last 50 in the field with 26.5 to finish with half a body of Applebaum. Ssengonzi was third in 1:45.68, while Avery Clapp of Johns Hopkins got past Schreier for fourth (1:46.25).

Women’s 100 Backstroke – Finals

• NCAA D3 Record: 53.46 – Celia Oberholzer (2013)
• 2022 Winner: 53.69 – Jessica Flynn, NYU

Podium:

1. Olivia Smith, Kenyon – 54.00
2. Megan Jungers, Emory – 54.53
3. Kate Augustyn, MIT – 54.77
4. Jessica Flynn, NYU – 55.00
5. Sara Kraus, Hope – 55.44
6. Penelope Celtnieks, Emory – 55.58
7. Ionna Georgopoulou, Chicago – 55.63
8. Katie Hermann, Hope – 56.06

Emory junior Megan Jungers was first out of the blocks, turning at the 25 and 50 just ahead of Kenyon senior Olivia Smith. She led by .17 at the 50 wall with 26.01.

The second half was all Smith, though, as she came home in 27.82 to shoot past Jungers and win by half a body length, 54.00 to 54.53.

MIT’s Kate Augustyn, in fourth place at the 50, closed in 28.19 to finish third. Jess Flynn of NYU also had a strong second 50, coming home in 28.05 to get by Hope’s Sara Kraus, who wound up fifth.

Men’s 100 Backstroke – Finals

• NCAA D3 Record: 46.54 – Adam Janicki, MIT (2023)
• 2022 Winner: 46.45 – Jack Wadsworth

Podium:

1. Tanner Filion, Whitman – 45.75 MEET / D3 RECORD
2. Liam McDonnell, JCU – 46.59
3. Adam Janicki, MIT – 46.85
4. Djordje Dragojlovic, Kenyon – 46.90
5. Nathaniel Berry – Bates – 47.05
6. Jack Watson, Rowan – 47.36
7. Alexander McCormick, WashU – 47.61
8. Eric Lundgren, Tufts – 47.75

2022 runner-up Tanner Filion of Whitman College destroyed the NCAA Division III and meet records with a stunning 45.75 in the final of the 100 back. Out in 21.82, he came home in 23.93 to become the first Division III swimmer to crack the 46-second barrier.

John Carroll’s Liam McDonnell took it out quickly from lane 5, flipping at 21.89 at the halfway point, just behind Filion. Home in 24.70, he finished second with 46.59.

Nathaniel Berry of Bates was 21.88 at the 50, but both Adam Janicki of MIT (who had broken the Division III and meet records leading off the 400 medley relay last night) and Djordje Dragojlovic of Kenyon came home in 24-mids to get past Berry for third and fourth places, respectively.

Women’s 100 Breaststroke – Finals

• NCAA D3 Record: 59.77 – KT Kustritz (2018)
• 2022 Winner: 59.79 – Edenna Chen

Podium:

1. Jennah Fadely, Kenyon – 59.94
2. Alexandra Gill, PP – 1:01.21
3. Kinsey Brooks, Mary Washington – 1:01.51
4. Edenna Chen, MIT – 1:01.58
5. Charlotte Wishnack, Williams – 1:01.85
6. Amanda Wager, Williams – 1:01.89
7. Anna Glowniak, Emory – 1:02.30
8. Christina Crane, Denison – 1:02.62

Kenyon’s Jennah Fadely came from behind to snatch the 100 breast title away from Pomona-Pitzer’s Alexandra Gill, finishing a full body length ahead with her winning 59.94.

Kinsey Brooks of Mary Washington went out quickly from lane 6, leading the pack at the 25 wall. Gill took over at the 50, leading from lane 1 with 28.27, just ahead of Fadely (28.39). Brooks and defending champion Edenna Chen of MIT turned together in 28.48.

Fadely went into the final turn just a tick in front of Gill, Brooks, and Chen and came out half a body length ahead. Her pulldown on the 75 turn was the secret weapon that propelled her forward and she finished her second 50 in 31.55, more than 1.2 seconds ahead of the next-fastest back half in the field, that of Williams’ Amanda Wager.

Fadely clocked a 59.94, while Gill (1:01.21), Brooks (1:01.51), Chen (1:01.58), Charlotte Wishnack (1:01.85), and Wager (1:01.89) came within .68 of each other.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke – Finals

• NCAA D3 Record: 50.94 – Andrew Wilson, Emory (2017)
• 2022 Winner: 52.71 – Luke Rodarte, Cal Lutheran

Podium:

1. Jacob Meyer, Emory – 52.87
2. Garrett Clasen, Chicago – 53.03
3. Jason Hamilton, Emory – 53.26
4. Jacob Grover, Williams – 53.79
5. Richard Kurlich, Denison – 53.85
6. Henri Bonnault, Emory – 53.97
7. Elijah Venos, Denison – 54.12
8. Jonah Venos – JCU – 54.91

Emory’s Jake Meyer and Chicago’s Garrett Clasen put on a two-man show in the middle lanes of the pool, leading by nearly half a body already at the 50 wall. Clasen turned in 24.6 to Meyer’s 24.7. Meyer came home .26 fast, in 28.10, to get the win with 52.87. Clasen held off Emory’s Jason Hamilton, 53.03 to 53.26, for second place.

Women’s 1-Meter Diving – Finals

• NCAA Record: 515.90 – Danica Roskos (2011)
• 2022 Winner: 487.40 – Elizabeth Cron, Chicago

Podium:

1. Sydney Bluestein, Amherst – 431.40
2. Ariana Khan, Emory – 429.80
3. Leah Levin, Ithaca – 427.65
4. Veronica Fong, Chicago – 424.15
5. Karalyn Pawcio, Ithaca – 418.50
6. Kelli Kuramoto, Carnegie Mellon – 412.70
7. Abigail Wilkov, Case Western – 402.65
8. Issara Schmidt, NYU – 384.80

Amherst sophomore Sydney Bluestein won the 1-meter diving event with 431.40 points, averaging 6.14 points per dive. She got off to a strong start on her first two dives, a forward 2 somersault pike that netted 44.85, and a forward 2 1/2 somersault pike that earned 50.70 points.

Emory’s Ariana Khan finished second (429.80), ahead of Leah Levin from Ithaca (427.65), Veronica Fung of Chicago (424.15), Karalyn Pawcio of Ithaca (418.50), Kelli Kuramoto of Carnegie Mellon (412.70), Abigail Wilkov of Case Western (402.65), and Issara Schmidt of NYU (384.80).

Women’s 800 Freestyle Relay – Fastest Heat

• NCAA D3 Record: 7:13.51 – Emory (2018)
• 2022 Winner: 7:19.17 – Tufts

Podium:

1. Denison – 7:16.35
2. Tufts – 7:22.85
3. Chicago – 7:25.29
4. NYU – 7:25.83
5. Emory – 7:25.97
6. MIT – 7:28.30
7. Amherst – 7:28.33
8. JHU – 7:28.86

Denison’s Taryn Wisner (1:48.63), Esme Wright (1:49.63), Anna Pfeufer (1:49.72), and Tara Culibrk (1:48.37) led from wire to wire and finished with 7:16.35 to win by three body lengths.

The Tufts quartet of Lily Klinginsmith (1:49.59), Chloe Deveney (1:52.44), Katelin Isakoff (1:50.59), and Claire Brennan (1:50.23) combined for 7:22.85. They were alone in second place throughout the race.

Chicago (Emily Xu, Annabel Olivo, Adelyn Diaz, and Karen Zhao) and NYU’s Emery Muller, Caitlin Marshall, Nicole Ranile, and Kaley McIntyre) came from behind to overtake Emery for third and fourth place. Zhao anchored Chicago’s relay in 1:49.99 while McIntyre went 1:47.74 on the end of NYU’s relay.

Amherst, the fastest team in the morning heats, came in seventh place overall.

Men’s 800 Freestyle Relay – Fastest Heat

• NCAA D3 Record: 6:28.69 – Emory (2022)
• 2022 Winner: 6:28.69 – Emory

Podium:

1. Emory – 6:26.98 MEET / D3 RECORD
2. WashU – 6:30.34
3. Chicago – 6:30.87
4. Williams – 6:33.50
5. Pomona-Pitzer – 6:35.23
6. Kenyon – 6:36.99
7. TCNJ – 6:37.32
8. NYU – 6:38.39

Emory’s Nick Goudie (1:36.20), Benjamin Thorsen (1:36.56), Jason Hamilton (1:38.21), and Pat Pema (1:36.01) combined for 6:26.98, destroying the NCAA Division III and meet records that they set last year with 6:28.69.

WashU’s Mason Kelber, Trenton Edwards, Danny Sibley, and Mark Lipkin went 6:30.34 to grab second place, just touching out Chicago’s Garrett Clasen, Kyle Garcia, Jun Asano, and Arthur Kiselnikov (6:30.87).

Women’s Team Scores After Day 3

1. Denison 350.5
2. Emory 292
3. Kenyon 280
4. NYU 216
5. Williams 214
6. Tufts 211.5
7. Chicago 203.5
8. MIT 173
9. Pomona-Pitzer 151.5
10. Amherst 95
11. (TIE) Hope College / Johns Hopkins 94.5
12. –
13. Ithaca 69
14. Claremont MS 68
15. Bowdoin 55
16. Carnegie Mellon 49
17. Kate’s 40
18. Bates 39.5
19. (TIE) Calvin / Trinity University 31
20. –
21. Mary Washington 29
22. Swarthmore 28
23. Colorado College 20
24. Case Western 19
25. Gustavus 18
26. Wash U. MO 13
27. (TIE) Springfield / Wheaton (Ma) 12
28. –
29. Hamilton 10
30. St Olaf 9
31. Colby 6.5
32. Suny Geneseo 6

Men’s Team Scores After Day 3

1. Emory 359.5
2. Kenyon 354.5
3. Chicago 270
4. MIT 173
5. Williams 167
6. Johns Hopkins 145
7. Wash U. MO 139
8. Denison 110
9. Tufts 100.5
10. Carnegie Mellon 100
11. Calvin 99
12. NYU 94
13. TCNJ 89.5
14. John Carroll 87
15. Bates 83
16. Suny Geneseo 57
17. Conn College 51
18. Pomona-Pitzer 47
19. Colby 37
20. Whitman 36
21. Claremont MS 33
22. Rowan 18
23. Trinity University 17
24. Bowdoin 16
25. Millsaps 13
26. RIT 12
27. Birmingham Southern 9
28. USMMA 8
29. (TIE) Franklin / Wheaton (Il) 7
30. –
31. (TIE) Swarthmore / Caltech 6
32. –
33. (TIE) Washington & Lee / Hamilton / Coast Guard / Alfred State 5
34. –
35. –
36. –
37. (TIE) Brandeis / Drew 4
38. –
39. Mary’s MD 3
40. (TIE) WPI / UW Eau Claire 2
41. –
42. Rhodes 1