2024 NCAA Division II Championships: Day 5 Prelims Live Recap

2024 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships

• Dates: March 12-16, 2024
• Times: Prelims 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 score big points in the 1650 free, where they have the top two seeds in Emily Trieschmann and Hailey Williams. Colorado Mesa has the top seed in the women’s 200 back, Agata Naskret (1:56.07). Indy, currently in 4th place, 27 points behind Drury, will get a boost in the 200 breast from #1 seed Celina Schmidt (2:11.07). Henderson State’s Kiara Pozvai is top seed in the 100 free (48.82) by a full second. Lynn has two in the top four, Luna Mertins and Laura Dekoninck, while Drury’s Ashlyn Moore is ranked 3rd.

On the men’s side, Tampa has the top seed in the mile with Jacob Hamlin (15:01.66), as well as two of the top four 200 backstrokers, Santiago Corredor (1:43.28) and Parker Knollman (1:43.53). Drury should get boost from Ivan Adamchuk, ranked #2 in the 200 back (1:42.19) and breaststrokers Joao Nogueira (1:56.64, 4th) and Davi Mourao (1:56.72, 5th). Benjamin Sampson of Colorado Mesa, currently 5th in the standings behind Tampa, Drury, Indy, and McKendree, is looking to win his fourth title after the 200/400 IM and 100 back; he is top seed in the 200 back with 1:39.63. Nova S’eastern has the top seed in the 200 breast, Inigo Marina (1:55.23), while Henderson State boasts the top two entrants in the 100 free: Jack Armstrong (42.76) and Lamar Taylor (43.09).

Women’s 100 Yard Freestyle – Prelims

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

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Kiara Pozvai, Henderson St. – 49.08
2. Luna Mertins, Lynn – 49.32
3. Laura Dekoninck, Lynn – 49.81
4. Ashlyn Moore, Drury – 49.91
5. Emily Mears-Bentley, Findlay – 50.08
6. Bryn Greenwaldt, Augustana – 50.14
7. Lucy Hedley, Grand Valley – 50.18
8. Montana White, Azusa Pacific – 50.22
9. Rafaela Raurich, Nova S’eastern – 50.24
10. Emily Traube, Truman St. – 50.28
11. Josephine Bushell, Drury – 50.53
12. Lucinda Andrews, Wingate – 50.54
13. Kirabo Namutebi, Indy – 50.59
14. Ada Qunell, Colorado Mesa – 50.72
15. Meesha Montgomery, Augustana (W) – 50.76
16. Abigail Williams, Simon Fraser – 50.80

Tilde Morin of Tampa won heat 1 to get us started; she dropped over half a second to touch in 51.36. In heat 2, Jocelyn Zgola of McKendree touched out Troie Grubbs from Findlay, 51.41 to 51.61.

Indy’s Kirabo Namutebi, the 50 free winner on Day 2, had a drop of .5 to win heat 3 from lane 1 with 50.59. She had a huge lead at the 50 but ended up just touching out West Chester’s Mikayla Niness (50.84) and Farida Maher of Concordia St Paul (50.91).

Ashlyn Moore of Drury had a half body-length lead at the 50, but it was closer at the finish as she came to the wall in 49.91 ahead of Grand Valley’s Lucy Hedley (50.18) and Nova S’eastern’s Rafaela Raurich (50.24).

Luna Mertins of Lynn won heat 5 by half a body with 49.32, improving her entry time by half a second. Augustana’s Bryn Greenwaldt dropped .3 to come in second with 50.14, just ahead of Azusa Pacific’s Montana White (50.22, -.35).

Top-seeded Kiara Pozvai of Henderson State won the final heat ahead of Lynn’s Laura Dekoninck (49.81) and Findlay’s Emily Mears-Bentley (50.08, -.3). Wingate’s Amanda Wenhold was disqualified for a false start in that heat.

Men’s 100 Yard Freestyle – Prelims

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

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Jack Armstrong, Henderson St. – 42.63
2. Marcel Snitko, Nova S’eastern – 95
3. Lamar Taylor, Henderson St. – 43.11
4. Ian Cooper, Tampa – 43.12
5. Matthew Bosch, Grand Valley – 43.21
6. Blake Moran, Tampa – 43.29
7. Jan Bialecki, Fresno Pacific – 43.41
8. Maurice Grabowski, Lynn – 43.53
9. Kyle Micallef, Florida Southern – 43.55
10. Yuri Cabral, Drury – 43.63
11. Leo Nolles, NMU – 43.65
12. Joao Silva, Indy – 43.66
13. Nico Jacinto, Lewis – 43.71
14. Arthur Gluzman, Carson-Newman – 43.73
15. Jameson McEnaney, Colorado Mesa – 43.74
16. Viktor Khnykin, Drury – 43.75

Drury’s Lucas Mineur kicked off the men’s heats with a drop of .9 to win heat 1 by half a body length in 44.12. His teammate Viktor Khnykin went 1.2 seconds faster than his entry time to win the next heat by a full body in 43.75. McKendree’s Caleb Law touched out Matteo Vissotto of Drury, 44.63 to 44.65, for second; both dropped from their seed times.

Lynn’s Maurice Grabowski shot off the block and set the pace in heat 3; he ended up winning from lane 6 with 43.53 ahead of Carson Newman’s Daniel De Oliveira (43.86, -.5) and Indy’s Aqeel Joseph (44.39).

Tampa’s Blake Moran improved his seed time by over half a second to win the first circle-seeded heat from lane 2 with 43.29. Florida Southern’s Kyle Micallef (43.55) and MS&T’s Adam Wiedemeier (43.82, -.3) followed.

Tampa’s Ian Cooper was the early leader in heat 5 but Marcel Snitko of Nova S’eastern got the win with a .6 drop for 42.95. Henderson State’s Lamar Taylor was second in 43.11, just .01 ahead of Cooper, who ended up dropping .7.

It was a wire-to-wire victory for Jack Armstrong in the last heat; he improved his seed time by .13 to win with 42.63. Fresno Pacific’s Jan Bialecki (43.41), Drury’s Yuri Cabral (43.63), and Indy’s Joao Silva (43.66) were a body length behind.

Women’s 200 Yard Backstroke – Prelims

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

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Alexandra Waller, Drury – 1:57.69
2. Nina Imboden, West Florida – 1:57.79
3. Agata Naskret, Colorado Mesa – 1:57.86
4. Marta Beesmans, Wingate – 1:57.94
5. Lauren White, Colorado Mesa – 1:58.02
6. Sierra Gillan, Tampa – 1:58.62
7. Lindsey Louder, Tampa – 1:58.64
8. Katerina Matoskova, Colorado Mesa – 1:58.74
9. Mia Krstevska, Indy – 1:59.07
10. (tie) Andre Gomez Espinosa, Indy / Luna Mertins, Lynn – 1:59.15
11. –
12. Alicja Pinkowicz, Davenport – 1:59.33
13. May Lowy, Nova S’eastern – 1:59.57
14. Tammy Greenwood, Oklahoma Christi – 1:59.70
15. Sidni Meister, Tampa – 1:59.89
16. Kyla Blakemore, Carson-Newman – 2:00.62

Nina Imboden of West Florida and Marta Beesmans from Wingate traded stroke for stroke in the first circle-seeded heat but Imboden pulled slightly ahead over the final 50 and got the touch, 1:57.79 to 1:57.97. Katerina Matoskova of Colorado Mesa was third with 1:58.74.

Kyla Blakemore of Carson-Newman and Vera Karlsson from Wingate started off strong from lanes 7 and 8, getting out to an early lead at the 50 and hanging on through the 100. Then Lindsey Louder from Tampa took over the lead, but it was all Drury’s Alexandra Waller on the second 100. She won with 1:57.69. Tampa’s Sierra Gillan moved into second place (1:58.62), just touching out Louder (1:58.64). Louder dropped nearly .7.

Top-seeded Agata Naskret of Colorado Mesa led from start to finish, stopping the clock at 1:57.86 for the heat 5 win. Teammate Lauren White was second (1:58.02) ahead of Lynn’s Luna Mertins (1:59.15).

Men’s 200 Yard Backstroke – Prelims

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

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Parker Knollman, Tampa – 1:42.08
2. Benjamin Sampson, Colorado Mesa – 1:43.02
3. Santiago Corredor, Tampa – 1:43.07
4. Raf Hendriks, St. Cloud St. – 1:43.19
5. Patryk Rozenek, McKendree – 1:43.27
6. Ivan Adamchuk, Drury – 1:43.44
7. Roland Nagy, Barry U – 1:44.23
8. Eli Rollen, Oklahoma Christi – 1:44.37
9. Filho, Chagas SO Wingate – 1:44.38
10. Andrew Scoggin, Colorado Mesa – 1:44.42
11. Silas Buessing, Indy – 1:44.55
12. Alvaro Zornoza Quiros, Drury – 1:44.98
13. Thomas Caruso, Simon Fraser – 1:45.49
14. Thomas Zoldowski, Grand Valley – 1:45.86
15. Gustav Henriksen, Nova S’eastern – 1:46.08
16. Marcus Mak, Simon Fraser – 1:46.48

Tampa’s Santiago Corredor won heat 1 in 1:43.07, getting to the wall just ahead of St Cloud State’s Raf Hendriks (1:43.19) and McKendree’s Patryk Rozenek (1:43.27). Hendricks dropped 1.1 seconds, while Rozenek improved his entry time by .7.

It was a tight race between Wingate’s Ney Chagas Filho and Drury’s Ivan Adamchuk for the first 100 yards, but Adamchuk pulled away and ended up winning by nearly a body length with 1:43.44. Chagas Filho (1:44.38, -1.1 seconds) touched out Colorado Mesa’s Andrew Scoggin (1:44.42) and Indy’s Silas Buessing (1:44.55).

Tampa’s Parker Knollman was first at the 25, 50, 100, and 150 walls. He had a half-body length lead on top-seeded Benjamin Sampson of Colorado Mesa headed into the final 50 yards. He ended up dropping nearly 1.5 seconds to win the heat in 1:42.08. Sampson went 1:43.02 for second place. Roland Nagy of Barry improved his seed time by .6 and touched third with 1:44.23, just ahead of Oklahoma Christian’s Eli Rollen (1:44.37).

Women’s 200 Yard Breaststroke – Prelims

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

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Claire Conover, Drury – 2:12.46
2. Celina Schmidt, Indy – 2:13.09
3. Mellie Wijk, Drury – 2:14.40
4. Emilia Ronningdal, Nova S’eastern – 2:15.15
5. (tie) Madelyn Koehle, WCU / Luisa Machado, Drury – 2:15.34
6. –
7. Marta Torrent Brugada, Jewell – 2:16.12
8. Benedict Nagy, Colorado Mesa – 2:16.87
9. Abigayle Wood, Rollins – 2:17.31
10. Lutnya Bogdanova, West Florida – 2:17.45
11. Alexandr Giourtzidou, Lynn – 2:17.59
12. Katie Susi, Findlay – 2:17.65
13. Kylie Beaudet, CSU East Bay – 2:17.97
14. Cameron Dukat, Tampa – 2:18.00
15. Lenya Ryan, WCU – 2:18.07
16. Alizee Pelletier, Florida Southern – 2:18.14

Azusa Pacific’s Amanda Anderson and Carson-Newman’s Breanna Belcher both dropped time in heat 1, finishing 1-2 with 2:18.64 and 2:18.97.

Abigayle Wood of Rollins dropped 1.3 seconds to win heat 2 from lane 2 with 2:17.31. She came to the wall just ahead of West Florida’s Lutnya Bogdanova (2:17.45) and East Bay’s Kylie Beaudet (2:17.97). Bodganova went 1.3 seconds faster than her entry time; Beaudet dropped .6.

Drury’s Claire Conover dominated heat 3. Already a body length ahead at the 100, she finished nearly 3 seconds clear of the field with 2:12.46, an improvement of over 2 seconds. West Chester’s Madelyn Koehl in lane 5 and Luisa Machado from Drury in lane 8 tied for second place with 2:15.34. It was a 2.7-second improvement for Machado.

Drury’s Mellie Wijk led by half a body at the 100, with Nova S’eastern’s Emilia Ronningdal trailing in second place from lane 7. Ronningdal made her move on the second half and the pair turned together at the 175 wall. Wyck turned on the jets over the last 25 yards and came out ahead, 2:14.40 to 2:15.15. Colorado Mesa’s Benedict Nagy was third with 2:16.87. Ronningdal dropped 2.5 second off her entry time.

Indy’s Celina Schmidt led from start to finish from lane 4, but Oklahoma Christian’s Hailey Uhrig went with her from lane 2 and had the edge on the rest of the field throughout the race. Schmidt won the heat with 2:13.09. Uhrig touched second (2:16.82) but was disqualified for a non-simultaneous touch. Next to the wall was Findlay’s Katie Susi with 2:17.65.

Uhrig’s DQ moved Colorado Mesa’s Nagy into the A final.

Men’s 200 Yard Breaststroke – Prelims

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

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. JT Amrein, Oklahoma Christian – 1:56.27
2. Filipe Pinheiro, McKendree – 1:56.28
3. Davi Mourao, Drury – 1:56.75
4. Joao Nogueira, Drury – 1:56.76
5. Inigo Marina, Nova S’eastern – 1:56.98
6. Jared Mindek, Tampa – 1:57.31
7. Andrew Goh, Grand Valley – 1:57.38
8. Miles Schulze, Ouachita – 1:57.58
9. Connor Bichsel, Missouri S&T – 1:57.71
10. Marcos Otero, Colorado Mesa – 1:58.02
11. Marko Priednieks, Findlay – 1:58.06
12. Noah Clancy, Missouri S&T – 1:58.07
13. Athanasios Diamantidis, IUP – 1:58.14
14. Ahmed Ismail, Lewis – 1:58.25
15. Brayden Cole, Indy – 1:58.26
16. Mark Eberhard, Henderson St. – 1:59.03

McKendree’s Filipe Pinheiro started us off with a win out of lane 5 in heat 1; he dropped .8 to touch in 1:56.28 ahead of Tampa’s Jared Mindek (1:57.31), who improved his seed time by 1.45 seconds. Grand Valley’s Andrew Goh was third (1:57.38). William Slowey of Rollins was disqualified for a non-simultaneous touch.

Heat 2 was tight from start to finish. JT Amrein of Oklahoma Christian led Davi Mourao from Drury by about half a second for the first 100 yards, but Mourao cut into that lead on the third 50 and the two turned almost together at the 150. Amrein came home .26 faster and got the win with 1:56.27. Mourao was .48 behind with 1:56.75. Missouri S&T’s Connor Bischel improved his seed time by .7 to touch third with 1:57.71, ahead of IUP’s Athanasios Diamantidis (1:58.14).

Joao Nogueira from Drury finished us off with 1:56.75, overcoming a half body-length deficit at the 100 to pass Nova S’eastern’s Inigo Marina down the stretch. Marina went 1:56.98 for second. Colorado Mesa’s Marcos Otero touched out Findlay’s Marko Priednieks, 1:58.02 to 1:58.06, for third.

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)

Top 8:

1. Brynhildur Traustadottir, Indy – 16:47.50
2. Jordan Fox, Wayne State – 16:47.70
3. Jamie Glover, Indy – 16:48.72
4. Estelle Bauer, Nova S’eastern – 16:53.82
5. Megan Sieloff, Wayne State – 16:55.02
6. Sofija Kendzior, West Florida – 16:59.61
7. Danielle Stewart, WCU – 16:59.99
8. Meg Heveroh, Truman St. – 17:01.02

Indy’s Jamie Glover won heat 2 (“heat 1” consists of the 8 fastest swimmers by seed time and will swim in the finals session tonight) of the women’s mile with 16:48.72, improving her seed time by 6.7 seconds. Nova S’eastern’s Estelle Bauer was second with 16:53.82.

The next heat featured a thrilling photo finish, in which Brynhildur Traustadottir of Indy held off Wayne State’s Jordan Fox, swimming in lane 8, to win by .20 with 16:47.50. Traustadottir dropped over 12 seconds from her best time.

Sofia Kendzior of West Florida and Danielle Stewart from West Chester finished us off with another tight finish; Kendzior went 16:59.61 to Stewart’s 16:59.99 for the heat win. It was both swimmers’ first time under the 17-minute barrier.

All 8 swimmers will score in the top 16; some of them might make the top 8, depending on performances tonight.

Men’s 1650 Freestyle – Slower Heats

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

Top 8:

1. Benjamin Wainman, Saginaw Valley – 15:23.32
2. Miguel Marcos, Wingate – 15:23.34
3. Stanislaw Chalat, Indy – 15:28.05
4. Barnabas Fluck, Tampa – 15:32.68
5. Jon Kantzenbach, Grand Valley – 15:33.36
6. Trevor Jones, Wayne State – 15:33.57
7. Matteo Filippi, Findlay – 15:33.61
8. Valentin De Frutos, Lewis – 15:34.36

We began with heat 2 of the men’s 1650 free, in which Benjamin Wainman from Saginaw Valley and Wingate’s Miguel Marcos treated us to an exciting race with another photo finish. This time, it was only .02 that separated the finishers; Wainman went 15:23.32, while Marcos touched in 15:23.34.

Trevor Jones of Wayne State won the next heat with 15:33.57 ahead of Valentin de Frutos of Lewis (15:34.36).

Indy’s Stanislaw Chalat prevailed in heat 4 with 15:28.05, more than 13 seconds ahead of Damir Ipkaev of Wingate (15:41.28).

Women’s 1-Meter Diving – Prelims

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Alexa Gonczi, Clarion – 461.10
2. Madison Kooistra, Grand Valley – 431.15
3. Luna Vejarano, Clarion – 426.95
4. Olivia Nelson, West Florida – 409.90
5. Mikaela Senkus, Wayne State – 408.90
6. Adriana Mieses Sanchez, West Florida – 392.75
7. Kaitlyn Madigan, Clarion – 392.60
8. Taya Schmidt, Delta State – 390.00
9. Alexis Lumaj, Indy – 389.90
10. Tayler Graham, West Florida – 379.80
11. Ally Hrncir, Colorado Mesa – 378.15
12. Sydney Hanson, MSU Mankato – 374.75
13. Colleen Hudson, Clarion – 374.65
14. Avery Lommel, Augustana – 373.40
15. Natalie Freeman, MSU Mankato – 369.90
16. Aspen Warnygora, MSU Mankato – 369.85