Kenyon Comes From Behind To Win Men’s And Women’s 2024 NCAC Titles

2024 NORTH COAST ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Kenyon women and men have captured the 2024 NCAC title, making it the first time both won the title in the same season since 2008.

WOMEN’S RECAP

After trailing heading into the final day, Kenyon opened the night with a win as freshman Bengisu Caymaz won the 1650 free in a 16:34.52, a time that notably would have finished 2nd at NCAAs last March. Denison’s Taryn Wisner was 2nd in a 16:41.57. Wisner was 2nd in the event at 2023 NCAAs.

The Owls kept their momentum going as Jennah Fadely won the 100 IM in a 56.05 to win by over a second and a half. The Owls shrunk Denison’s lead to 11 points.

Kenyon senior Caleigh Wukitch earned a win in the 200 backstroke touching in a 1:59.90 to finish almost two seconds ahead of Denison’s Jasmine Park who finished in a 2:01.89. With the win, Kenyon passed Denison in the team scores.

After winning the 100 back yesterday, Lisa Torrecillas-Jouault of Kenyon won the 100 free in a 51.12. She led a 1-2 finish as teammate Sydney Geboy touched in a 51.54.

Gabby Wei of Kenyon dominated the 200 breaststroke as she won in a 2:15.36 to win by almost four seconds. Wei has a best time of a 2:13.27 from November 2021 in the event. Drue Thielking of Denison was second in a 2:19.17.

The Kenyon women closed the meet with a big win in the 400 free relay. The team of Molly Haag, Gwen Eisenbeis, Torrecillas-Jouault, and Geboy touched in a 3:22.96, a second and a half ahead of Denison.

Denison only had one win on the final night of competition. Sophomore Emily Harris won in a 2:01.21 to finish ahead of Kenyon’s Sophie Schmitz who touched in a 2:02.60. Harris notably did not compete in the event a year ago as she opted for the 200 back instead.

The Kenyon women reclaimed their crown from 2022 after Denison won the title last year.

Final Scores:

  1. Kenyon College 2039.5
  2. Denison University 1968.5
  3. DePauw University 1313
  4. College of Wooster 1259
  5. Oberlin College 819
  6. Wittenberg University 560
  7. Ohio Wesleyan University 551
  8. Hiram College 438

MEN’S RECAP

The Denison women came into the final night with a 10 point lead and extended their lead in the 1650 free. Junior Lucas Conrads picked up a win touching in a 15:35.08. Conrads got out to an early lead and held onto it the entire race to win by over four seconds.

The 100 IM put the Kenyon men ahead. Although Denison’s Patrick Daly won in a new conference record of a 49.44, Kenyon picked up key points with three ‘A’ finalists. Daly was Denison’s only A finalist so Kenyon moved to the front.

Kenyon kept the momentum going as Yurii Kosian set a new conference record in the 200 back swimming a 1:44.87. He led a 1-2 finish for the Owls as Ethan Manske was 2nd in a 1:47.43.

A 1-2-3 finish for Kenyon in the 100 free extended their lead.  Djordje Dragojlovic led the way swimming a NCAC record of a 43.51. Dragojlovic is the defending NCAA champion in the event as he won in a 43.32 at 2023 NCAAs.

Denison still had life in them and tried to come back as Elijah Venos led a 1-2 finish in the 200 breast. After winning the 100 breast yesterday in a new NCAC record. Venos touched in a 1:58.21 in the 200 tonight. Venos won the ‘B’ final of the event at 2023 NCAAs in a 1:58.25.

Kenyon’s Noah Hargrove and Denison’s Max Soja battled it out in the 200 fly. Hargrove had a strong first 100 to put him ahead by half a second. Soja had a strong last 50 but came up just short as he touched in a 1:48.45 behind Hargrove who touched in a 1:48.41.

After a 1-2-3 finish in the 100 free earlier in the evening, Kenyon came in as big favorites for the 400 free relay to finish off the meet. Dragojlovic led the relay off in a 43.82 to give them over a second lead as no one else swam under the 45 second mark on the lead off leg. The relay also consisted of Daniel Brooks, Kosian, and Aleksa Dobric. They swam to a final time of a 2:56.38 and were the only team under 3 minutes.

Final Scores:

  1. Kenyon College 1889
  2. Denison University 1845
  3. Wabash College 1218.5
  4. College of Wooster 1165.5
  5. Oberlin College 1058
  6. DePauw University 909.5
  7. Ohio Wesleyan University 476
  8. Hiram College 388
  9. Wittenberg University 345.5

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Swimmer
10 months ago

The Kenyon Women won off of scoring 6 divers. Smart strategy for the NCAC meet given how much it favors depth. It appears the Denison men had a scratch in the 200 back (not enough to bridge the point gap, but shows how close the meet would have been ~15 points). The rivalry between these two continues to impress.

SwimCoachDad
10 months ago

I do hope everyone writes off Denison’s women at NCAAs.

Electro Wizard
10 months ago

“Mogged” (Noun)

The term “mogged” is the past tense of “MOG” and refers to the act of being overshadowed or outperformed by someone else in a specific area, such as looks or status. If you’ve been “mogged,” it means someone else has shown themselves to be superior to you in that particular aspect.

Ice Golem
Reply to  Electro Wizard
10 months ago

We do not care

Joe
10 months ago

how long have they done the 100 IM at NCACs? I support

Thirteenthwind
Reply to  Joe
10 months ago

Since the David Fitch era

SwimmingPagani
Reply to  Joe
10 months ago

I think it’s cool that they swim it, but I don’t think it should be scored. It’s a fun event for sprinters, but it’s not a real event and basically is just free points for Kenyon’s overpowered foreign sprint group that may also have an average age of like 22

Sprinty McSprinterson
Reply to  SwimmingPagani
10 months ago

a) you really want to shame international student-athletes?
b) what makes a “real event”? What’s traditional or you decide? It’s been a NCAC event for years so it’s been fair game for more than a minute
c) get and coach up better sprinters womp womp

It’s the same people who argue their team would win a meet “without diving”… well diving is part of the sport and meet like this event so get better at it instead of being content just complaining about it

SwimMaxxing
Reply to  Sprinty McSprinterson
10 months ago

Not gonna lie, I don’t really see this as “shaming” international student-athletes at all. It is true… they’re all a little bit on the older and more physically mature side of things. Nobody is breaking any rules here, it is just a good strategic advantage for a team with a great sprint group.

And it is NOT a real event. It is not contested at the NCAA level, which puts a lot of swimmers who are going for cut times at this meet out of the picture.

SwimmingPagani
Reply to  Sprinty McSprinterson
10 months ago

L + Ratio. And yes I am going to clown on you a bit if you’re an incoming 20 year old freshman, whether you’re international or not. It is actually an undisputed advantage to be 2 years older. I literally went from not having futures to making the US Open in my best event from when I was 17 to 19

Wet Bandits
Reply to  SwimmingPagani
10 months ago

and “free points for kenyon”…Denison won the mens event and went 2-3 in womens!!!

SwimmingPagani
Reply to  Wet Bandits
10 months ago

Kenyon netted 54 points on Denison from the 100 IM (Scored 89 vs Denison 35) and ended up winning the meet by 44 points, so they unironically won because of the 100 IM.

About Anya Pelshaw

Anya Pelshaw

Anya has been with SwimSwam since June 2021 as both a writer and social media coordinator. She was in attendance at the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Women's NCAA Championships writing and doing social media for SwimSwam. She also attended 2023 US Summer Nationals as well as the 2024 European Championships …

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