2024 NCAA Division II Championships: Day 5 Finals Live Recap

2024 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships

• Dates: March 12-16, 2024
• Times: Finals 10AM Eastern, Finals 5:30PM Eastern
• Location: SPIRE Institute Aquatics Center in Geneva, Ohio
• Defending Champions:
  • Nova S’eastern women (1x)
  • Indianapolis men (1x)
• Psych Sheets:
  • Women’s Psych Sheet
  • Men’s Psych Sheet
• Live Results
• Live Video (NCAA.com)

Day 5

We begin the final day of competition in Geneva with Nova S’eastern 48.5 points ahead of Colorado Mesa in the women’s meet. Tampa leads Drury by 13 on the men’s side.

Nova S’eastern is expected to begin the night with big points in the 1650 free, where they have the top two seeds in Emily Trieschmann and Hailey Williams. Trieschmann, the defending champion, is hoping to add to her 200/500/1000 titles. Henderson State’s Kiara Pozvai tops the qualifiers in the 100 free; her meet entry time was the fastest by 1 second. Drury’s Alexandra Waller (1:57.69) will be in lane 4 of the 200 back but top-seeded Agata Naskret from Colorado Mesa will be a threat. Claire Conover from Drury dropped 2 seconds to lead the morning heats in the 200 breast with 2:12.46. Celina Schmidt of Indy has been 1.4 seconds faster this season; she’ll be in lane 5.

Similarly, on the men’s side, Tampa has the top seed in the mile with Jacob Hamlin (15:01.66). Henderson State’s Jack Armstrong (42.63) was the fastest qualifier in the 100 free; his teammate Lamar Taylor qualified third, with Nova S’eastern’s Marcel Snitko (42.95) between them. Tampa got the #1 and #3 spots in the 200 back this morning with Parker Knollman (1:42.08) and Santiago Corredor (1:43.07). Top-seeded Benjamin Sampson of Colorado Mesa, who was 2nd this morning, will be looking for his fourth title of the meet, after having won the 200/400 IM and 100 back. Oklahoma Christian’s JT Amrein was the fastest qualifier in the 200 breast (1:56.27), just .01 ahead of Filipe Pinheiro of McKendree.

Women’s 1650 Freestyle – Slower Heats

• NCAA DII: 16:17.66 – Kristen Frost, Southern Connecticut (2008)
• Meet: 16:17.66 – Kristen Frost, Southern Connecticut (2008)

Podium:

1. Emily Trieschmann, Nova S’eastern – 16:18.73
2. Hailey Williams, Nova S’eastern – 16:34.88
3. Tori Meklensek, Simon Fraser – 16:36.62
4. Allison Vassilakos, Wayne State – 16:40.33
5. Olivia Hansson, Colorado Mesa – 16:42.98
6. Brynhildur Traustadottir, Indy – 16:47.50
7. Justice Beard, UMSL – 16:47.53
8. Jordan Fox, Wayne State – 16:47.70

Nova S’eastern went 1-2 in the 1650 free, with Emily Trieschmann defending her title and Hailey Williams finishing second. Trieschmann led from the outset, increasing her lead by about a body length every 100. At the 500 she was 4:50.84, followed by Wayne State’s Allison Vassilakos (4:57.03) and Williams (4:58.67).

Simon Fraser’s Tori Meklensek, swimming in lane 7, moved up on Vassilakos and Williams at the halfway point. From there, it was a battle between Meklensek and Williams for second place. Williams caught up at the 1150 and remained in the runner-up position throughout the rest of the race.

Trieschmann finished with 16:18.73, a little over a second off the national record, while Williams clock a 16:34.88 to beak Meklensek (16:36.62) by a body length. Vassilakos held on for fourth place, well over a body ahead of Olivia Hansson from Colorado Mesa.

Indy’s Brynhildur Traustadottir and Wayne State’s Jordan Fox, the two fastest from the earlier heats, made the podium.

Men’s 1650 Freestyle – Slower Heats

• NCAA DII: 14:55.12 – Fabio Dalu, McKendree (2021)
• Meet: 14:55.12 – Fabio Dalu, McKendree (2021)

Podium:

1. Khalil Ben Ajmia, Wayne State – 14:57.68
2. Cedric Buessing, Indy – 15:05.17
3. Paul Demesy, WCU – 15:11.53
4. Luca Alessandrini, Nova S’eastern – 15:14.81
5. Eric Hieber, Grand Valley – 15:16.03
6. Jacob Hamlin, Tampa – 15:16.22
7. Victor Rosado, Oklahoma Christi – 15:21.59
8. Benjamin Wainman, Saginaw Valley – 15:23.32

After placing second in the 1000 free and third in the 500 free, Wayne State’s Khalil Ben Ajmia scored his first national title with a big win in the 1650 free over 2023 runner-up Cedric Buessing.

It was quite bunched up for the first 500 yards, with the lead rotating among McKendree’s Christian Davidson, Ben Ajmia, Buessing, Paul Demesy from West Chester, and Luca Alessandrini of Nova S’eastern. Davidson faded considerably after the 500.

Ben Ajmia moved to the front of the pack at the 600 and was already half a body ahead by the 700. The field had begun to separate by then and Buessing was clear of Demesy and Alessandrini in second place.

They remained in formation, with Ben Ajmia increasing his lead with each 50 and Buessing gaining on Demsey and Alessandrini; the latter two were trading stroke for stroke in lanes 2 and 1.

Ben Ajmia won with 14:57.68. Buessing was 15.05.17, just off his winning time from a year ago. Demsey pulled away from Alessandrini and finished in third place with 15:11.53.

Only Benjamin Wainman of Saginaw Valley made the podium from the earlier heats.

Women’s 100 Yard Freestyle – Finals

• NCAA DII: 48.16 – Polina Lapshina, Queens NC (2019)
• Meet: 48.16 – Polina Lapshina, Queens NC (2019)

Podium:

1. Kiara Pozvai, Henderson St. – 48.88
2. (tie) Laura Dekoninck, Lynn / Bryn Greenwaldt, Augustana – 49.57
3. –
4. Luna Mertins, Lynn – 49.64
5. Ashlyn Moore, Drury – 49.81
6. Montana White, Azusa Pacific – 50.16
7. Emily Mears-Bentley, Findlay – 50.38
8. Lucy Hedley, Grand Valley – 50.46

Henderson State’s Kiara Pozvai was first at the 25, 50, and 75 and she finished half a body ahead of the field with 48.88 to claim her first NCAA Division II title.

Behind her, Laura Dekoninck of Lynn and Augustana’s Bryn Greenwaldt tied for second with 49.57, getting to the wall just ahead of Luna Mertins (49.64).

Drury’s Ashlyn Moore, who had gone out very quickly and was in third place at the 50, held off Montana White of Azusa Pacific to claim fifth place.

Men’s 100 Yard Freestyle – Finals

• NCAA DII: 41.25 – Karol Ostrowski, Drury (2021)
• Meet: 41.25 – Karol Ostrowski, Drury (2021)

Podium:

1. Lamar Taylor, Henderson St. – 42.64
2. Jack Armstrong, Henderson St. – 42.68
3. Marcel Snitko, Nova S’eastern – 19
4. Matthew Bosch, Grand Valley – 43.24
5. Blake Moran, Tampa – 43.29
6. Jan Bialecki, Fresno Pacific – 43.41
7. Ian Cooper, Tampa – 43.44
8. Maurice Grabowski, Lynn – 43.97

Defending champion Lamar Taylor of Henderson State led a 1-2 Reddies finish, edging teammate Jack Armstrong by .04 to win with 42.64. Taylor flipped first at the 25, getting a slight lead on the pack. Armstrong’s next three 25s were just a tick faster but he fell short of the prize. Taylor went 20.13-22.51 to Armstrong’s 20.19-22.49. They were half a body ahead of the rest of the finalists.

Blake Moran of Tampa had been in third place at the 50 but Marcel Snitko of Nova S’eastern got past him to place third with 43.19. Grand Valley’s Matthew Bosch had the fastest back half (22.48) and he touched out Moran, as well.

Women’s 200 Yard Backstroke – Finals

• NCAA DII: 1:54.48  – Hannah Peiffer, Queens NC (2017)
• Meet: 1:54.48 – Hannah Peiffer, Queens NC (2017)

Podium:

1. Agata Naskret, Colorado Mesa – 1:55.30
2. Alexandra Waller, Drury – 1:56.61
3. Lindsey Louder, Tampa – 1:57.72
4. Nina Imboden, West Florida – 1:58.04
5. Marta Beesmans, Wingate – 1:58.11
6. Sierra Gillan, Tampa – 1:58.32
7. Katerina Matoskova, Colorado Mesa – 1:58.68
8. Lauren White, Colorado Mesa – 1:59.90

Colorado Mesa’s Agata Naskret took it out from lane 3 and established the early lead. She was up by half a body already at the 100, followed by Alexandra Waller from Drury, Wingate’s Marta Beesmans, and West Florida’s Nina Imboden.

It was Naskret, Waller, Imboden, Lindsey Louder of Tampa, and Beesmans at the 150.

Naskret came home to get the win by a body length in 1:55.30. Waller remained in second place (1:56.61). Louder snuck past Imboden on the last 50 yards to take third, 1:57.72 to 1:58.04.

Beesmans took fifth, just ahead of Tampa’s Sierra Gillan, 1:58.11 to 1:58.32.

Men’s 200 Yard Backstroke – Finals

• NCAA DII: 1:40.73 – Ben Sampson, Colorado Mesa (2022)
• Meet: 1:40.74 – Matthew Josa, Queens Charlotte (2014)

Podium:

1. Benjamin Sampson, Colorado Mesa – 1:40.34 *NCAA DIVISION II RECORD*
2. Santiago Corredor, Tampa – 1:41.59
3. Parker Knollman, Tampa – 1:41.99
4. Ivan Adamchuk, Drury – 1:42.97
5. Raf Hendriks, St. Cloud St. – 1:43.95
6. Patryk Rozenek, McKendree – 1:44.74
7. Roland Nagy, Barry U – 1:44.91
8. Eli Rollen, Oklahoma Christian – 1:46.59

Defending champion and NCAA Division II record-holder Benjamin Sampson from Colorado Mesa won the 200 back title for the second year in a row, this time with 1:40.34. He lowered his own Division II record and broke the meet record, which had belonged to Matthew Josa of Queens NC since 2014.

It was Drury’s Ivan Adamchuk who was out first from lane 7, getting an early lead on the field at the 50 with 23.59. Tampa’s Parker Knollman was next (23.70), followed by Sampson (23.84) and Tampa’s Santiago Corredor (24.12).

Sampson crushed the second 50, going 25.07 to outpace the field by .6. He led by half a body length with 48.91. Knollman flipped in second with 49.37. Adamchuk was .28 ahead of Corredor with 49.70.

Sampson, Knollman, and Corredor went 25.8 on the third 50, pushing Adamchuk into fourth place.

Sampson came home in 25.6, while Corredor passed Knollman with 25.8 on the final 50.

Sampson won with 1:40.34, a full body ahead of Corredor (1:41.59). Knollman (1:41.99) came to the wall in third place, 1 second ahead of Adamchuk.

Women’s 200 Yard Breaststroke – Finals

• NCAA DII: 2:09.12 – Bailee Nunn, Drury (2017)
• Meet: 2:09.12 – Bailee Nunn, Drury (2017)

Podium:

1. Celina Schmidt, Indy – 2:10.82
2. Claire Conover, Drury – 2:11.79
3. Mellie Wijk, Drury – 2:14.06
4. Benedict Nagy, Colorado Mesa – 2:14.97
5. Emilia Ronningdal, Nova S’eastern – 2:15.19
6. Martina Torrent Brugada, Jewell – 2:15.46
7. Madelyn Koehle, WCU – 2:16.42
8. Luisa Machado, Drury – 2:16.43

It was Celina Schmidt from lane 5 with the wire-to-wire victory in the women’s 200 breast final.

Schmidt led, albeit just barely, at the 50 with 29.88. Turning with her were Drury’s Mellie Wijk (29.90) and Claire Conover (29.96) and Nova S’eastern’s Emilia Ronningdal (29.97).

Conover took over the lead at the 100. Schmidt was .02 behind, while Ronningdal trailed by half a body and Wijk was a full body back.

Schmidt regained the lead at the 150 and came home .7 faster than Conover to win by nearly a full second with 2:10.82. Conover was 2:11.79.

Wijk came in third, while Colorado Mesa’s Benedict Nagy shot past Ronningdal on the final 50 yards to come in fourth with 2:14.97.

Men’s 200 Yard Breaststroke – Finals

• NCAA DII: 1:51.71 – Anton Lobanov, Nova S’eastern (2015)
• Meet: 1:51.71 – Anton Lobanov, Nova S’eastern (2015)

Podium:

1. JT Amrein, Oklahoma Christian – 1:54.66
2. Joao Nogueira, Drury – 1:54.72
3. Davi Mourao, Drury – 1:54.75
4. Filipe Pinheiro, McKendree – 1:55.10
5. Inigo Marina, Nova S’eastern – 1:55.31
6. Jared Mindek, Tampa – 1:56.31
7. Andrew Goh, Grand Valley – 1:57.64
8. Miles Schulze, Ouachita – 1:57.82

Oklahoma Christian’s JT Amrein, who won this event in 2022 and was runner-up in 2023, reclaimed the top step of the podium this year in an extremely tight final in which the top five finishers were only separated by .65.

Amrein was out first with 26.03, followed by Drury’s Davi Mourao (26.15), McKendree’s Filipe Pinheiro (26.22), Tampa’s Jared Mindek (26.27), Nova S’eastern’s Inigo Marina (26.39), and Drury’s Joao Nogueira (26.44).

It was equally bunched up at the 100 wall, but this time Marina led with 55.34. Pinheiro, Mourao, Amrein, Mindek, and Nogueira followed.

Pinheiro and Marina turned together at the 150 in 1:25.20. Amrein was .18 behind. Then came Nogueira and Mourao.

Amrein, Nogueira, and Mourao came home in 29-lows, finishing with 1:54.66, 1:54.72, and 1:54.75, respectively.

Women’s 1-Meter Diving – Finals

• NCAA DII: 511.55 – Kayla Kelosky, Clarion (2011)
• Meet: 511.55 – Kayla Kelosky, Clarion (2011)

Podium:

1. Madison Kooistra, Grand Valley – 463.95
2. Mikaela Senkus, Wayne State – 451.20
3. Alexa Gonczi, Clarion – 442.90
4. Olivia Nelson, West Florida – 426.55
5. Luna Vejarano, Clarion – 420.55
6. Adriana Mieses Sanchez, West Florida – 419.45
7. Kaitlyn Madigan, Clarion – 416.40
8. Taya Schmidt, Delta State – 398.90

Women’s 400 Yard Freestyle Relay – Timed Finals

• NCAA DII: 3:18.04 – Queens NC (2018 and 2019)
• Meet: 3:18.04 – Queens NC (2018 and 2019)

Podium:

1. Colorado Mesa –3:20.00
2. Drury – 3:20.55
3. Wingate –3:20.99
4. Nova S’eastern –3:21.21
5. Simon Fraser –3:21.72
6. Lynn –3:22.74
7. West Florida –3:23.66
8. West Chester –3:23.81

Colorado Mesa’s Agata Naskret (50.16), Ada Qunell (50.75), Elli Williams (49.38), and Lauren White (49.71) combined for 3:20.00 to win the 400 free relay title ahead of Drury (3:20.55) and Wingate (3:20.99).

Drury led at the 100 with Ashlyn Moore’s 50.12 leadoff. Josephine Bushell put them even further in front with a second leg of 49.68. Colorado Mesa took over the lead on the third leg and held on through the finish.

Wingate was in second place behind Drury at the 200, and in second behind Colorado Mesa at the 300, but they finished third.

Men’s 400 Yard Freestyle Relay – Timed Finals

• NCAA DII: 2:49.98 – Queens NC (2019)
• Meet: 2:49.98 – Queens NC (2019

Podium:

1. Henderson State – 2:52.81
2. Tampa – 2:53.01
3. McKendree – 2:53.18
4. Colorado Mesa – 2:53.21
5. Grand Valley – 2:54.13
6. Northern Michigan – 2:54.26
7. Lewis – 2:55.17
8. Indy – 2:55.22

Lewis won heat 1 by over two body lengths, breaking their school record by 3.7 seconds with 2:55.17. That performance was good enough to make the podium.

In the final heat, Henderson State went 2:52.81 to get the win with Lamar Taylor (43.08), Jack Armstrong (42.67), Jase Pinckney (43.76), and Patryke Dabrowski (43.30).

Tampa (Ian Cooper, Tibor Tistan, Caleb Brandon, and Blake Moran) got by McKendree (Alireza Yavari, Arthur Souza, Mario Perez, and Tyson Upton) and Colorado Mesa (Jameson McEnaney, Benjamin Sampson, Jakub Kiszczak, and Aziz Ghaffari) to place second with 2:53.01.

Final Women’s Team Scores

1. Nova S’Eastern – 487
2. Colorado Mesa – 461.5
3. Drury – 400.5
4. Indy – 323.5
5. Lynn – 215.5
6. West Florida – 207
7. Tampa – 185
8. Simon Fraser – 153.5
9. Augustana – 150.5
10. Findlay – 148
11. Wingate – 145
12. Wayne State – 137
13. WCU – 112
14. Clarion – 109
15. Delta State – 88
16. Grand Valley – 81
17. Henderson St. – 69
18. Carson-Newman – 64
19. NMU – 59
20. (tie) McKendree / MSU Mankato – 57
21. –
22. Azusa Pacific – 54.5
23. CSU East Bay – 41
24. Oklahoma Christian – 37
25. Mines – 29
26. UMSL – 27
27. Lewis – 25
28. Truman St. – 21
29. Florida Southern – 18.5
30. (tie) Jewell / Emmanuel – 15
31. –
32. Southern Conn – 7
33. Rollins – 6.5
34. Northern State – 5
35. Hillsdale – 4
36. IUP – 3.5
37. (tie) Davenport / UNC- Pembroke – 3
38. –
39. UMary – 2
40. Bentley – 1

Final Men’s Team Scores

1. Tampa – 473
2. Drury – 409
3. Indy – 359
4. McKendree – 313
5. Colorado Mesa – 279
6. Grand Valley – 236
7. Henderson St. – 229
8. Nova S’Eastern – 204.5
9. Lewis – 159.5
10. Findlay – 155
11. Oklahoma Christian – 134
12. Missouri S & T – 133
13. Florida Southern – 117
14. Wayne State – 107
15. NMU – 96
16. Wingate – 72
17. Clarion – 71
18. WCU – 67
19. St. Cloud State – 54
20. Carson-Newman – 50
21. Saginaw Valley – 45
22. Delta State – 43
23. Simon Fraser – 37
24. Florida Tech – 23
25. (tie) Ouachita / Rollins – 20
26. –
27. Fresno Pacific – 19
28. UT of the Permian Basin – 16
29. Lynn – 14
30. Catawba – 13
31. (tie) Barry U / UMSL – 12
32. –
33. IUP – 9
34. (tie) Davenport / Mines / Montevallo – 6