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Ben Campbell of Columbus, Ohio has announced his verbal commitment to swim and study at Denison University starting next fall. Denison is a Division III school located in Granville, Ohio, just about 30 miles east of Columbus. Campbell attends Upper Arlington High School and swims year-round with the Upper Arlington Swim Club.
“I’m very excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at Denison University. Thank you to my family, coaches, and friends for helping me through this process. Go Big Red‼️“
Campbell had an excellent junior season, setting best times in all freestyle events across both yards and meters, including the 1650 free (16:08.31, 19.57 second drop) and 200 free (1:42.96, 3.03 second drop). During the high school season, he helped his team to a runner-up team finish at the OHSAA Division 1 State Championship. There, he set his best time in the 500 free (4:38.76), finishing 10th overall. That was nearly a 10 second improvement from his performance the year before, where he placed 22nd and out of scoring position in the 500 free.
Campbell capped off his summer at the Columbus Sectionals, highlighted by a 6th place finish in the 800 free (8:50.19). He went a best time nearly every time he hit the water, also competing individually in the 200, 400, and 1500 free, as well as putting up relay swims for his team.
Top SCY Times:
- 1650 free – 16:08.31
- 500 free – 4:38.76
- 200 free – 1:42.96
- 100 free – 48.37
- 50 free – 22.01
Denison competes in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC). The NCAC Champinships are often a preview of what’s to come at NCAAs, since in-state, conference, and national rival Kenyon College is also a member school. Combined, the two schools are responsible for all of the top-2 finishes going back to 1986.
Last year, the Denison men were 2nd of 9 teams at the NCAC Championship Meet. At the DIII National Championships, they fell to 8th place in the team race, their lowest finish since 1983. The men had a streak of top-3 finishes between 2006-2022, including five national team titles. The Big Red are led by head coach Gregg Parini who enters his 37th season with the team.
Campbell already has times that would have scored at last year’s NCACs in the 1650, 500, and 200 free.
While they won’t overlap, currently on Denison’s roster is fifth-year Luke Landis, also a distance swimmer from Upper Arlington High School. Landis is a five-time All-American, with three of those honors coming from the 1650 free. There are currently nine athletes hailing from Ohio on Denison’s roster.
Campbell joins swimmers George Goins, Marshall Pifer, Clay Perry, Ben Davis, and Nick Hensel, as well as diver Brock Butchko in Denison’s incoming class of 2028.
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