2017 NAIA National Championships: Men’s Day 4 Ups/Downs

2017 NAIA National Championships – Men’s Meet

• Dates: Wednesday, March 2 – Saturday, March 5, 2017; prelims 9 am, finals 5 pm
• Location: Columbus Aquatic Center, Columbus, Georgia (Eastern Time Zone)
• Defending Champions: Olivet Nazarene (results)
• Psych Sheet
• Men’s Fan Guide
• Live Results: Available here
• Live Video: Available here
• Championship Central

Anne Lepesant contributed to this report. 

Going into the final day of competition, defending champion Olivet Nazarene University has a solid hold on the team competition with 428.5 points. SCAD is second, and probably out of reach of the title, with 303.5. Keiser sits third currently with 275, but their performances this morning suggest that they could give SCAD a run for their money. The fight for fourth is up in the air, with Lindenwood-Belleville (210), the Cumberlands (203), Wayland Baptist (182), and Thomas (180) all within reach.

200 Back – Prelims

• Meet Record: 1:45.61 2012 Ryan Searles, SCAD

1. Magnus Andersen, ONU: 1:49.29
2. Georgi Krastev, St Andrews: 1:50.07
3. Danny Hartley, Keiser: 1:50.32
4. Vladislav Khoroletc, ONU: 1:50.71
5. Charles Bennett, ONU: 1:51.02
6. Clay Bisher, Asbury: 1:51.23
7. Clemens Paetzold, Lindsey Wilson: 1:52.06
8. Seth Cripe, ONU: 1:52.09

None of the top five finishers from last year are returning to the ‘A’ final this time around, leaving an opening for a newcomer to take the crown. Freshman Magnus Andersen of Olivet Nazarene will fight to become that newcomer tonight, after qualifying first in 1:49.29 this morning in prelims.

Last year’s eighth-place finisher out of St. Andrews Georgi Krastev (1:50.07), Keiser junior Danny Hartley (1:50.32), and last year’s seventh-place finisher out of ONU Vladislav Khoroletc (1:50.71) will all fight Andersen for the title. 2016’s sixth-place finisher Charles Bennett of Olivet Nazarene will also be in the mix (1:51.02).

Asbury’s Clay Bisher, Lindsey Wilson’s Clemens Paetzold, and ONU’s Seth Cripe will round out the A final.

Lsat year’s fourth-place finisher, Arthur Bertrand, qualified for the B final this morning with a tenth-place 1:52.20.

100 Free – Prelims

• Meet Record: 42.53 3/8/2014 Daniel Z Ramirez, Oklahoma Baptist

1. Joel Ax, SCAD: 44.43
2. Perry Lindo, Thomas / Alex Haymond, Thomas: 45.23
3. Alex Zolotukhin, Cumberlands: 45.61
4. Andrei Stukov, Keiser: 45.79
5. Justin Lewis, Keiser: 46.23
6. Daniil Kuzmin, ONU: 46.24
7. Joshua Bouma, ONU: 46.26

Unsurprisingly, SCAD senior Joel Ax was the first qualifier this morning, coming in with a 44.43 that already could have won him the title in 2016. Ax came in .8 seconds ahead of his challengers, Perry Lindo and Alex Haymond of SCAD, who tied this morning in 45.23. This event will be a huge opportunity for Thomas to score big points and improve their team ranking. This also could be a chance for Lindo to pull off another upset over Ax, after outswimming him to a national title in the 50 free on Thursday.

Alex Zolotukhin of the Cumberlands was next in 45.61, followed by Keiser duo Andrei Stukov (45.79) and Justin Lewis (46.23). ONU’s defending runner-up was tight on Lewis’s heels with 46.24, followed closely by his teammate Joshua Bouma in 46.26.

200 Breaststroke – Prelims

• Meet Record: 1:56.96 3/7/2015 Fernando Morillas, OBU

1. Lucas Macek, Keiser: 2:01.26
2. Jacob Smith, Cumberlands: 2:03.32
3. Jonas Mueller, Lindsey Wilson: 2:03.80
4. Bjoern Globke, Wayland Baptist: 2:04.76
5. Paulo Ignacio Jr, WVU Tech / Keith Jesse, Asbury: 2:05.53
6. Nate Peterson, ONU: 2:05.76
7. Styrbjorn Torell, SCAD: 2:06.34

Keiser freshman Lucas Macek will be the swimmer to beat tonight in the men’s 200 breast, after throwing down a 2:01.26 in prelims and coming in two seconds ahead of the field. Last season’s fourth-place finisher Jacob Smith of the Cumberlands was second in 2:03.32, followed by Lindsey Wilson’s Jonas Mueller in 2:03.80. Last year’s third-place finisher Bjoern Globke will also be in the mix (2:04.76), along with freshman Paulo Ignacio Jr of WVU Tech (2:05.53), Asbury’s Keith Jesse (2:05.53), 2016 ‘A’ finalist Nate Peterson of ONU (2:05.76), and SCAD senior Torell Styrbjorn, who dropped seven seconds from his seed time with 2:06.34.

200 Fly – Prelims

• Meet Record: 1:46.62 2011 Javier Hernandez, Lindenwood

1. Magnus Poulsen, ONU: 1:50.17
2. Igor Dozortsev, Cumberlands: 1:50.18
3. Timo Billman, Lindenwood-Belleville: 1:52.71
4. Mikhovil Bakovic, Wayland Baptist: 1:53.14
5. Carl Rogne, Cumberlands: 1:53.33
6. Tim Schmalzreich, Lindenwood- Belleville / Josiah Morales, Wayland Baptist: 1:53.45
7. Ryan Sweat, SCAD: 1:53.49

Eighth qualifier Ryan Sweat (1:53.49) is the only swimmer returning from the ‘A’ final last season to a newcomer-packed 200 fly.

Olivet Nazarene freshman Magnus Poulsen and Cumberlands senior Igor Dozortsev should have one of the tightest battles of the night in the 200 fly, after the duo finished at virtually the same time (1:50.17 for Poulsen and 1:50.18 for Dozortsev).

The fight for third will be similarly tight, and anyone among the group of Timo Billman of Lindenwood-Belleville, Mikhovil Bakovic of Wayland Baptist, Carl Rogne of the Cumberlands, Tim Schmalzreich of Lindenwood-Belleville, Josiah Morales of Wayland Baptist or Sweat could come up into the top three.

400 Free Relay – Prelims

• Meet Record: 2:56.93 3/7/2015 Oklahoma Baptist University, OBU (J Goyetche, M Sambolin, J Sossa, D Ramirez)

1. SCAD: 3:02.10
2. Olivet Nazarene: 3:03.53
3. Cumberlands: 3:04.73
4. Thomas: 3:05.84
5. Keiser: 3:06.32
6. Lindsey Wilson: 3:06.54
7. Wayland Baptist: 3:07.07
8. St. Andrews: 3:07.80

Spurred forward by two sub-45 flying start swims from Joel Thatcher (44.98) and Joel Ax (44.59), the SCAD 400 freestyle relay is the one to beat tonight. The team of Nick Wargo, Tim Olbrich, Thatcher, and Ax teamed up for 3:02.10 this morning. The Bees look like they are sticking to a back-half strategy like the one that led to their monstrous 800 free relay comeback on Wednesday. However, this morning, they didn’t need such a huge final two legs, since they took and held the lead from the beginning.

Olivet Nazarene (Drew Logan, Guilherme Magnoler, Joshua Bouma, and Daniil Kuzmin) finished second in 3:03.53, and they will be the team SCAD will have to hold off for the national championship title. The Cumberlands was third this morning in 3:04.73.

Men’s 1-Meter- Prelims

1. Shane Brinson, Biola: 255.60
2. David Groh, Cumberlands: 203.85
3. Tyler Timmer, ONU: 193.50
4. Matas Skultinas, ONU: 173.40
5. Timothy Pitts, Cumberlands: 123.10

Senior Shane Brinson of Biola looks likely to defend his national title in the 1-meter diving, after scoring 255.60 this morning. Second was defending runner-up David Groh of Cumberlands with 203.85, followed by last year’s third-place finisher Tyler Timmer of ONU with 193.50.

Ups/Downs – Day 4

*including diving and the 1650, based on the psych sheet

Final Predictions