KENYON vs DENISON
- Friday, November 1st
- Steen Aquatics Center, Gambier, OH
- Short Course Yards
- Results – Women
- Results – Men
TEAM SCORES
WOMEN
- Denison – 195
- Kenyon – 105
MEN
- Kenyon – 167.5
- Denison – 132.5
NCAA Division III Titans Denison and Kenyon met up for a dual last Friday, splitting the meet. The Kenyon men managed to down historical rival and defending DIII champions Denison in a 167.5-132.5 decision. The Denison women came up with a huge win over Kenyon, 195-105.
KT Kustritz lived up to her reputation as the fastest female breaststroker in DIII swimming, sweeping the women’s breast events and helping Denison’s 200 medley relay to victory. Kustritz started out her meet with a 28.73 on the Denison women’s 200 medley relay. Casey Kirby led the team off in 27.14, and was followed by Kustritz, then Maddie Hopkins (25.21) on fly, and Gabriella Nutter (23.91) on free. The Big Red relay finished in a final time of 1:44.99, which was the fastest time in DIII this season, until the same squad went 1:44.86 the next day. For her part, Kustritz went on to win the 100 breast in 1:03.87, establishing a season best and touching first by 1.62 seconds. She then won the 200 breast in 2:22.85, again notching a season best and touching first by 1.5 seconds.
Crile Hart of Kenyon put up a couple big performances as well. Hart swam the fastest fly split in the field, throwing down a 24.89. Hart then went on to swim a 51.99 to win the women’s 100 free, clocking a season best and posting the #2 time in DIII swimmign this year. Hart also won the women’s 200 free, finishing in 1:52.94, which was also a season best and the #2 time in DIII this year. She concluded her meet by leading off the winning Kenyon 200 free relay in 23.80, which would have been fast enough to win the individual 50 free.
In addition to winning on the 200 medley relay, Denison’s Maddie Hopkins also won the women’s 100 fly. Hopkins posted a 57.37, swimming a season best and the 4th fastest time in DIII swimming this year. She also came in 2nd in the 50 free, swimming a 24.31 to finish behind Kenyon’s Emmie Mirus (24.07). Casey Kirby went on from winning the 200 medley relay to sweep the women’s backstrokes. Casey swam a 57.83 to win the 100 back by over half a second. She swam a 2:06.31 to win the 200 abck by nearly 3 seconds.
Kenyon started out with a huge win in the men’s 200 medley relay. David Fitch got the ball rolling with a 22.74, then Luis Weekes split a 25.37 on breast, Marcus Hong 21.72 on fly, and Tommy Weiss was 20.48 coming home for a very speedy final time of 1:30.31. That time is the fastest in DIII swimming this year by a whopping 2.49 seconds. David Fitch went on to win two individual events and help the 200 free relay to victory. Fitch first won the 100 back, swimming a 49.76 to finish first, but also establishing the #1 time for DIII swimmers this season, and the only DIII swimmer to break 50 seconds so far this season. Fitch also went on to win the 100 fly with a 49.23, again posting the #1 time for DIII swimmers this year. Fitch concluded his meet by leading off the Kenyon 200 free relay in 20.94, which comes in at #3 in DIII swimming this season. Cherantha De Silva was next in for the Lords, splitting 20.44, and was followed by Marcus Hong in 20.77, and Tommy Weiss anchored in 20.31. The Lords finished in 1:22.46, which also stands as the #1 time for DIII this season. That means when all is said and done, David Fitch posted 4 #1 times and a #3 time for DIII swimming at this meet.
Marcus Hong won the men’s 50 free for Kenyon, roaring to a 20.93. That time sits at #2 in the nation for DIII swimmers, just one spot ahead of Fitch. Luis Weekes went on to win the men’s 200 IM, clocking a 1:52.98 to beat out Denison’s Richie Kurlich (1:53.46). The roles were reversed in the men’s 100 breast, where Kurlich swam a 56.70 and Weekes was 2nd in 57.83. Kurlich also won the 200 breast, where he swam a 2:03.08.
PRESS RELEASE – KENYON MEN:
GAMBIER, Ohio – Kenyon College junior David Fitch notched four event wins Friday night and powered the Lords swimming and diving team to a 167.5-132.5 victory over long-time rival and defending national champion Denison University. It was the Lords’ first dual-meet win against the Big Red since the 2015-16 season.
Fitch played a role in racking up 40 points toward the Kenyon total. He began the night by leading off the winning 200-yard medley relay. Luis Weekes, Marcus Hong and Tommy Weiss followed, as the Kenyon relay stopped the clock at 1:30.11, nearly three seconds quicker than Denison’s second-place team.
Three events later, Fitch won the 100-yard backstroke in 49.76. Later, he posted a winning time of 49.23 in the 100-yard butterfly. Both those times were top marks in NCAA Division III this season.
Finally, in the last event of the evening, Fitch kicked things off for the winning 200-yard freestyle relay, which clocked in at 1:22.46. Both Weiss and Hong were also on that relay, as was Cheran De Silva. Earlier in the meet, Hong tacked on a win in the 50-yard freestyle and Weiss won the 100-yard freestyle. Their respective times were 20.93 and 46.31.
Weekes also won an individual event, taking the 200-yard individual medley in a time of 1:52.98, another top time in Division III. Before that win, Connor Rumpit dominated the distance events for the Lords. He first won the 1,000-yard freestyle in 9:34.13 and then won the 500-yard freestyle in 4:37.23.
While the swimming events took place at Kenyon, the diving events were held at Denison. Kenyon’s Mason Fishell won the three-meter competition with a score of 255. He also claimed second place on the one-meter board, earning 238.88 points.
Overall, 16 events were held and two heats of nearly event were contested. The Lords ended up on top in 10 of those events, including the last four swimming events.
PRESS RELEASE – KENYON WOMEN:
GAMBIER, Ohio – Denison University topped the Kenyon College Ladies swimming and diving team 195-105 on Friday night in a dual meet held at James A. Steen Aquatics Center.
The Big Red won nine races in the pool while also earning two victories on the 1- and 3-meter diving boards with that competition taking place at Denison.
Kenyon did not go without some top marks itself which included five event victories. The Ladies won their first race with the help of junior Claire Murray. In the 1,000-yard freestyle, the Iowa City, Iowa native touched the wall with a winning time of 10:36.18.
Another junior, Crile Hart, dialed up the team’s next win. Competing in the 200-yard freestyle, Hart beat out Denison’s Tara Culibrk with a time of 1:52.94. The third-year standout later went on to win the 100 free in 51.99.
Emmie Mirus paced the field in the 50-yard freestyle for Kenyon’s fourth win as she clocked a 24.07 which was 0.24 seconds better than Denison’s Maddie Hopkins. Mirus went on to help Kenyon in the final race, the 200-yard free relay.
Along with Hart, Caylee Hamilton and Celina German, Mirus swam the final 50 yards to give that group a first-place mark of 1:35.46. That time is currently the best in Division III.
There were also a handful of runner-up finishes for Kenyon. Summer Otazu was the runner-up in the 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley. She also was a part of the second-place 200 medley relay team comprised of Hart, Mirus and Andrea Perttula. Additionally, Murray placed second in the 500 freestyle.
In diving competition, Myra Miller placed fourth on both the 1- and 3-meter boards.
Next Friday, the Ladies will make a quick drive to Columbus to go against NCAA Division I The Ohio State University at 6 p.m.
PRESS RELEASE – DENISON MEN:
GAMBIER, Ohio- The top-ranked Denison men’s swimming and diving team got two wins and a pair of second place finishes from Richie Kurlich but it wasn’t enough to hold off Kenyon in two team’s annual dual meet. The Lords pulled out a 167.5-132.5 win over the Big Red, snapping a three-year winning streak for Denison against their rivals to the North.
Kurlich swept both breaststroke events. He logged an NCAA ‘B’ cut in the 200 breast, winning in 2:03.08. In the 100 breast, Kurlich logged a winning time of 56.70 and his teammate, Noah Houskeeper, touched third in 58.70. He also placed second in the 200 IM with a time of 1:53.46 and was on the runner-up 200 medley relay with Trey Ike, Kymani Senior and Drake Horton.
Bebe Wang won the 200 backstroke in 1:50.33 and finished third in the 100 back (51.77) and third in the 200 IM (1:53.77).
John Stauffer picked up a victory in the 200 fly, winning in 1:52.19. He took second to Wang in the 200 back, touching in 1:53.06.
In the 200 freestyle, Horton led the way with a time of 1:42.12. Horton also placed second in the 100 free (46.41) and the 200 free relay with Liam Picozzi, Senior and Ike.
The diving portion of the meet took place at Denison’s Trumbull Aquatics Center and Liam Simmons won the 1-meter competition with a six-dive score of 257.63. On the three-meter board, Simmons took third with a score of 230.33. Brendan Downey followed with fourth place finishes on both boards.
The Big Red returns to action on Saturday when they host Division I Xavier University at 1 p.m.
PRESS RELEASE – DENISON WOMEN:
GAMBIER, Ohio – Highlighted by 11 event victories and a trio of NCAA ‘B’ cut times, No. 2 Denison women’s swimming & diving tallied a commanding 195-105 win over No. 3 Kenyon College on Friday evening in Gambier.
Leaning on their seniors for eight of the individual titles, the Big Red were led by KT Kustritz, Casey Kirby, and Naomi Clayton who combined for six of the victories. Kustritz continued her impressive senior campaign in the 100 breaststroke on Friday night with a ‘B’ cut time of 1:03.87 that placed her first overall. Fellow senior Kate Mesaros followed in second at 1:05.49. Kustritz also took home the win the 200 breast with a final mark of 2:22.85. Mesaros finished in second after clocking in at 2:24.39.
Kustritz and Kirby opened the meet with Maddie Hopkins and Gabriella Nutter in the 200 medley relay where they logged an NCAA ‘B’ cut time of 1:44.99 to place first overall. Kirby added two more wins in the 100 (57.83) and 200 (2:06.31) backstroke with Bridget Horton taking fifth in the 100 (1:00.56) and second in the 200 (2:09.23).
In the 200 butterfly, Zoe Whelan led the charge in first place after checking in with a 2:06.51 while Natalie Zaravella took second at 2:07.33. Zaravella also earned a first-place finish for DU in the 200 IM following a final mark of 2:09.67. Savannah Sargent trailed in third at 2:11.95.
In the swimming events, Hopkins and Tara Culibrk rounded out Denison’s individual titles with Hopkins taking first in the 100 fly (57.37) and Culibrk earning the same finish in the 500 free (5:09.03). Culibrk also took second in the 200 free at 1:53.51 with Sophia Gaguzis finishing in third (1:57.33).
On the diving board, Clayton paced DU’s efforts with back-to-back wins in the one and three-meter dives. In the one-meter, Clayton checked in with a six-dive score of 241.58 to earn the victory while sophomore Mattie Stauss followed in second (229.28) and freshman Taylor Trapp took third (196.95). Denison kept their 1-3 in the three-meter dive led by Clayton in first at 249. Stauss totaled 207.98 and Trapp finished third overall at 181.43.
The Big Red will return to the pool on Saturday, November 2 when they host Xavier University at 1 p.m.
