2017 NCAA Division II Women: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

Division II Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships

• March 8-11, 2017
• Birmingham CrossPlex, Birmingham, Alabama
• Prelims 10:30 AM, Finals 6 PM – U.S. Central Time Zone (GMT -6 currently)
• Event schedule
• Real-time results – diving
• Real-time results – swimming
• Video link (expected to be available when meet starts)
• Championship Central

Women’s 1650 Yard Freestyle – Fastest Heat

• Division II: 16:17.66 3/15/2008 Kristen Frost, Southern Conn St

1. Georgia Wright, West Chester 16:22.92
2. Leonie Van Noort, Grand Valley 16:35.35
3. Caroline Jouisse, Delta State 16:38.07
4. Annagrazia Bonsanti, Bridgeport 16:41.07
5. Laura Fornshell, Fresno Pacific 16:42.44
6. Theresa Hayward, West Chester 16:44.06
7. Tamara Miler, Azusa Pacific 16:52.06
8. Ella Bryan, Drury 16:52.12

Delta State sophomore Caroline Jouisse got out to an early lead, though she was followed closely by 1000 free champion, freshman Georgia Wright of West Chester. Wright pulled ahead by the 300 and proceeded to distance herself from the pack. By the 1000, Wright led by about half a pool length. Her teammate, senior Leonie Van Noort, moved up on Juisse and took over the second spot. Juisse held on at third throughout, while Bridgeport senior Annagrazia tried to challenge.

Wright got the win in 16:22.92. Van Noort went 16:35.35 for second, while Jouisse finished third in 16:38.07. Theresa Hayward of West Chester, who posted the top time of the morning heats, placed sixth overall. Azusa Pacific Tamara Miler also swam in the morning, and she jumped into the top 8 with a seventh-place finish.

Women’s 100 Yard Freestyle – Final

• Division II: 48.54 3/12/2016 Patri Castro Ortega, Queens (NC)

1. Theresa Michalak, West Florida 48.44
2. Alexis Divelbiss, Wingate 49.32
3. Emma Wahlstrom, Nova S’eastern 50.10
4. Oksana Marchuk, Bridgeport 50.27
5. Cheyenne Rova, MSU Mankato 50.28
6. Natalia Garriock, Saint Leo 50.33
7. Kyrie Dobson, Queens (NC) 50.91
8. Lara Marshall, Queens (NC) 50.92

West Florida senior Theresa Michalak got out to a very quick start, turning first at the 50. She continued to build momentum and wound up hitting the wall at 48.44 to set a new NCAA Division II record. Michalak took .10 off the mark set by Patri Castro Ortega last year. That was the fourth national title for Michalak, who also won the 50 free, 100 fly, and 100 breast.

Wingate junior Alexis Divelbiss did her best to stay with Michalak, going out in a very fast 23.81. She was able to hang on over the second half and broke 50 seconds with 49.32. Third place went to Nova S’eastern’s Emma Wahlstrom in 50.10.

Women’s 200 Yard Backstroke – Final

• NCAA DII: 1:55.57 3/15/2014 Caroline Arakelian, Queens (NC)

1. Hannah Peiffer, Queens (NC) 1:54.48
2. Viktoriya Arkhipova, Wingate 1:56.51
3. Rachel Helm, NMU 1:57.05
4. Anastasia Klyarovskay, Delta State 1:57.58
5. Mary Saiz, Colorado Mesa 1:58.54
6. Meri Cizmar, Findlay 1:58.56
7. Courtney Deveny, Nova S’eastern 2:01.13
8. Amanda Thielen, Saginaw Valley 2:02.42

Hannah Peiffer of Queens got off to a fast start, leading by a body length at the 100 with 55.47. Northern Michigan freshman Rachel Helm, who won the 100 back on Friday, and defending champion, Wingate senior Viktoriya Arkhipova, tried to run her down, but Peiffer kept up her rhythm and built up her lead to two body lengths over the last 50. Peiffer blew out the NCAA Division II record, set by teammate Caroline Arakelian in 2014, stopping the clock at 1:54.48.

Arkhipova finished second in 1:56.51. Helm was third with 1:57.05.

Women’s 200 Yard Breaststroke – Final

• NCAA DII: 2:10.72 3/11/2017 Bailee Nunn, Drury

1. Bailee Nunn, Drury 2:09.12R
2. Alena Rumiantceva, Cal Baptist 2:13.38
3. Malin Westman, Nova S’eastern 2:13.89
4. Jessika Weiss, Wingate 2:14.00
5. Jaimie Bryan, UCSD 2:14.35
6. Daria Belova, Fresno Pacific 2:14.82
7. Daria Talanova, Queens (NC) 2:15.99
8. Claire Beaty, Cal State East Bay 2:16.35

Drury freshman Bailee Nunn was all alone in the pool from the 50 wall. She turned a fully body length ahead of the rest of the field, all of which was bunched together. She was 2 body lengths up at the 100, and then 3 at the 150. Nunn kept up her pace and hit the wall at 2:09.12, slicing 1.6 seconds off the NCAA record, which she had set in prelims. Nunn became the first Division II breaststroker to break the 2:10 barrier, and she very nearly broke the 2:09 one as well.

Cal Baptist senior Alena Rumiantceva broke away from the field at the 150 wall and finished second in 2:13.38. Nova S’eastern junior Malin Westman got her hands on the wall just ahead of Wingate senior Jessika Weiss, 2:13.89 to 2:14.00.

Women’s 3-meter Diving – Final

• Division II: 555.70 3/14/2015 Elizabeth Rawlings, Wayne State

1. Monica Amaral, West Florida 505.20
2. Elizabeth Rawlings, Wayne State 485.15
3. Angela Probstfeld, NMU 476.75
4. Christina Sather, Clarion 473.95
5. Emma Kehn, Clarion 468.45
6. Kelsey Vreeman, Colorado Mesa 445.85
7. Lauren Skinner, Cal Baptist 424.45
8. Cassi Blakeman, Colorado Mesa 404.85

Defending champion, West Florida junior Monica Amaral, repeated her title in 3-meter diving with 505.20 points. The victory gave Amaral a sweep of the diving events for the second year in a row.

2016 runner-up, senior Elizabeth Rawlings of Wayne State, again finished second, this year with 485.15 points. Third place went to Northern Michigan freshman Angela Probstfeld with 476.75.

Women’s 400 Yard Freestyle Relay – Final

• NCAA DII: 3:18.75 3/14/2015 Queens (NC)

1. Drury 3:20.03
2. Wingate 3:20.77
3. Queens (NC) 3:21.30
4. West Florida 3:23.03
5. Bridgeport 3:23.11
6. MSU Mankato 3:23.74
7. Nova S’eastern 3:23.95
8. Lindenwood 3:24.60

West Florida senior Theresa Michalak got the Argonauts out to a one body-length lead after the first leg with her 49.07 leadoff, but Queens, Wingate and Drury closed the gap by the halfway point. Queens moved out to a half body-length lead on the third leg, then Wingate and Drury began to move up on the leader, and all three anchors took off together.

Queens, Wingate and Drury all turned together at the 350 wall, but Drury freshman Bailee Nunn accelerated over the last 50 and brought it home to upset Wingate and Queens with a 3:20.03. Wingate finished second with 3:20.77, with a 48.88 anchor from Alexis Divelbiss. Queens touched in 3:21.30 for third. West Florida hung on for a fourth-place finish out of lane 8.

Drury’s winning splits were: Zuzanna Chwadeczko (50.30), Vera Johansson (50.53), Yekaterina Rudenko (50.61), and Nunn (48.59).

Final Standings

1. Queens (Nc) 467
2. Drury 385
3. Wingate 346
4. Nova S’Eastern 250
5. Lindenwood 212
6. West Florida 201
7. Wayne State 189
8. West Chester 188
9. Bridgeport 168
10. Fresno Pacific 167
11. Grand Valley 158
12. Delta State 150
13. Msu Mankato 131
14. Cal Baptist 125
15. Csu East Bay 93
16. Ucsd 91
17. Carson-Newman 87
18. Northern State 74
19. Nmu 71
20. Clarion 58
20. Saint Leo 58
22. Colorado Mesa 55
23. Simon Fraser 38
24. Findlay 36
25. Saginaw Valley 32
26. Henderson St. 29
27. Azusa Pacific 23
28. Jewell 21
29. Tampa 20
30. Indy 17
31. Truman St. 16
32. Liu Post 14
32. Mines 14
34. Lynn 13
35. St. Cloud St.-W 8
36. Fairmont 7
37. Florida Southern 6
38. Tiffin University 5
39. Calu-Pa 3
40. St. Michael’s 2