Denison’s Elijah Venos Sets NCAC Record With 53.63 100 Breaststroke On Night 3

2024 NORTH COAST ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 14-17, 2024
• SCY (25 yards)
• Granville, Ohio
• Live Results
• Teams: Kenyon, Denison, Wabash (men only), Wooster, Oberlin, DePauw, Ohio Wesleyan, Hiram, Wittenberg
• Day 1 Recap
• Day 2 Recap

WOMEN’S RECAP

Denison’s night kicked off with a 1-2-3-4 finish in the 100 butterfly. Emma Pritchett led the way touching in a 54.90. Pritchett won the title last year in a 55.11. Maja Palmroos was second in a 55.22 ahead of Pheobe Ferguson who touched in a 55.34.

Ferguson helped the team to a win in the 200 free relay. The team of Amber Croonquist, Grace Kadlecik, Natalie English, and Ferguson touched in a 1:33.01, just over a tenth ahead of Kenyon who touched in a 1:33.16. Kadlecik had the fastest split of the field with a 22.59.

Emily Harris of Denison earned the team their final win of the night. Harris battled Bengisu Caymaz of Kenyon in the 200 free. Caymaz led at the 100 mark but a big third 50 put Harris ahead as Harris touched in a 1:49.57 ahead of Caymaz who touched in a 1:49.60.

Lisa Torrecillas-Jouault led the way for a 1-2 finish for Kenyon in the 100 back. Torrecillas-Jouault touched in a 55.49 ahead of teammate Caleigh Wukitch who touched in a 55.73.

The 400 IM was a tight battle between upperclassmen as the whole A final were juniors or seniors. Kenyon’s Sydney McCallie and Esme Wright of Denison each had big back halves of the race. The two were 7th and 8th respectively halfway through but their breaststroke legs brought them to the front. McCallie touched in a 4:22.53 ahead of Wright who touched in a 4:22.57.

2023 NCAA Champion in both breaststroke events Jennah Fadely of Kenyon won the 100 breast by over a second to touch in a 1:00.02. Fadely won the event in a 59.98 a year ago.

DAY 3 SCORES:

1. Denison University 1286.5
2. Kenyon College 1268.5
3. DePauw University 815
4. College of Wooster 765
5. Oberlin College 504
6. Wittenberg University 395
7. Ohio Wesleyan University 380
8. Hiram College 257

MEN’S RECAP

Denison junior Elijah Venos highlighted the night as he set a new NCAC record in the men’s 100 breaststroke. Venos has had key breaststroke splits the last two nights for Denison including a 52.57 breaststroke split last night on the 400 medley relay. Tonight, Venos swam a 53.63 to break Richie Kurlich‘s record of a 53.93 that Kurlich set a year ago during a time trial. Venos notably won the individual event a year ago in a 54.32. Venos led a 1-2 Denison finish as Patrick Daly was second in a 54.12. Denison went 1-2-4 in the event while Kenyon went 3-5-6-7-9.

The Denison men also had another individual win tonight as Tyler Distenfeld won the men’s 20 free in a 1:38.86. Distenfeld was second last year behind Kenyon’s Yurii Kosian who won the event a year ago in a 1:40.03. Kosian swam, a 1:39.12 tonight. Notably, no men were under 1:40 last year but five were tonight. Denison went 1-3-5-7 in the event while Kenyon went 2-4-6.

Kenyon won the rest of the events on the night. Marko Krtinic kicked the night off with a win in the 100 butterfly as he touched in a 48.34, ahead of Oberlin’s Erik Fendorf who touched in a 48.66.

Later in the evening, Kritinic helped Kenyon’s 200 free relay to a win. The team of Djordje Dragojlovic, Aleksa Dobric, Krtinic, and Daniel Brooks swam to a final time of a 1:19.98. Dobric had the fastest split with a 19.72.

Dragojlovic also earned an individual win as he won the 100 back in a 47.63 as he led a 1-2-3 finish for Kenyon. Kosian finished second in a 48.26 and Brooks was 3rd in a 48.59.

Kenyon topped the podium in the 400 IM as Ethan Manske swam a 3:53.81 ahead of teammate Noah Hargrove who touched in a 3:55.44. Denison scored valuable points with 3-4-5-6 finishes.

Kenyon’s Israel Zavaleta won the 1 meter diving event in a NCAA record score of a 629.90 winning by over 100 points.

DAY 3 SCORES:

1.  Denison University 1293
2. Kenyon College 1283
3. Wabash College 846.5
4. College of Wooster 758
5. Oberlin College 667
6. DePauw University 517
7. Ohio Wesleyan University 322
8. Wittenberg University 258.5
9. Hiram College 190