NCAA Division III Round-Up: Derek Maas Breaks Out In Backstroke

We got another look at the top Division III teams this past weekend as the first half of mid-season invites got rolling. Kenyon and Chicago hosted the most high-profile invites, which were responsible for all of the new top times established this week.

Denison, Emory, and a number of other top teams will swim their invites after the Thanksgiving break, while the NESCAC is just getting started.

Top Performances at Kenyon’s Total Performance Invitational

Bengisu Caymaz continues to improve in her first year for Kenyon, posting a nation-leading time in the 1650 free in what appears to be her first time swimming the event (16:39.30). That would have placed 2nd behind two-time defending champion Kristin Cornish at last season’s NCAAs. The Turkish first-year also swam best times in the 200 free (1:49.65), 500 free (4:52.03), and 200 fly (2:02.93), all of which would also have made ‘A’ finals. Her 500 free was also a top time.

There were a number of top times posted by Kenyon swimmers in addition to Caymaz. Caleigh Wukitch posted the first sub-2:00 200 back of the season in a huge collegiate best (1:59.39). Last year, she finished 34th at NCAAs in that event. Jennah Fadely, defending champion in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, asserted herself atop the rankings in the shorter distance (1:01.96) while her teammate Gabby Wei won the 200 (2:14.27).

On the men’s side, Yurii Kosian won the 200 back in a time that would have tied for 2nd last season (1:43.59). Marko Krtinic, defending 100 fly champion, claimed the top time in the nation (47.17). Aleksa Dobric is now ranked first in both the 50 free (20.15) and 100 free (43.99) with a catch– he’s tied with Carnegie Mellon’s DJ Lloyd in the 50 free, who led the rankings before this weekend. Dobric swam 20.15 to qualify first out of prelims, and then Lloyd matched that time in finals to take the win. It’s a huge improvement for Lloyd, who swam 20.71 at this meet last year.

The last two top times came from a pair of IM’ers. Greta Gidley of Hope College and defending runner-up topped the 200 IM (2:01.90), while Case Western’s Peter Meng scorched a personal best in the 400 IM (3:54.59).

In all, 11 new nation-leading times were established, not including relays. Kenyon now leads all five women’s relays and three men’s relays. CMU scared their own school record in the 800 free relay with a time 6.36 seconds faster than they went at NCAAs last season (6:36.90) and now leads the rankings.

Derek Maas Tops Rankings in… Backstroke?

Despite being the 2022 SEC Champion in both breaststroke events, Alabama transfer Derek Maas took on a surprising line-up at Chicago’s Phoenix Fall Classic. Maas entered the 100 back (46.55), 200 back (1:43.75), and 200 IM (1:44.23), winning all three in dominating fashion. He now ranks 1st in the 100 back, 2nd in the 200 back, and solidifies his #1 rank in the 200 IM while getting within five-hundredths of Andrew Wilson’s D3 record. Maas holds a best time of 46.33 in the 100 back, but the last time he swam the 200 back was in 2017 (per USA Swimming database). He now ranks 4th all-time in D3 in the 100 back and 5th in the 200 back.

Maas also contributed a 21.35 lead-off leg to NYU’s 200 medley relay, which now leads the nation (1:27.37). That would have been the 3rd fastest split in the field at NCAAs, and the overall time is nearly two seconds faster than NYU’s best last season. Maas also contributed to the rest of NYU’s sprint relays, including a 52.06 breaststroke split on their 400 medley.

Garrett Clasen, the defending champion in the 200 IM and runner-up in the 100 breast, also had a strong showing. He was less than half a second off his bests in both, which were established at NCAAs. His 100 breast (53.45) now ranks 1st in the nation, while his 200 IM (1:46.08) ranks 2nd behind Maas.

Kaley McIntyre of NYU now sits atop the rankings in the 50 free (23.18), 100 free (50.16), and 200 free (1:48.19). She won both the 50 and 200 last season, opting for the 200 back on the third day instead of the 100 free, where she placed 9th.

Connor Vincent also now holds a trio of top times in the 200 free (1:38.39), 500 free (4:26.91), and 1650 free (15:31.05).

Other top times came from Chicago’s Cooper Costello in the 200 fly (1:46.05), NYU’s Hope Xayaveth in the 100 fly (54.64), and NYU’s Nicole Ranile in the 200 fly (2:01.12).

NESCAC Season Gets Rolling

The NESCAC season gets started later than most, so we’ve only gotten a peek at Williams and Tufts, who placed both their women’s and men’s teams in the top 10 last NCAAs.

Williams cruised to victory against Springfield, led by three-time national champion Sophia Verkleeren. She clocked 2:02.78 in the 200 back, clearing the field by nearly 10 seconds. Williams has a history of developing excellent backstrokers. Verkleeren, a sophomore, has dropped nearly five seconds since matriculating. Former D3 record-holder Olivia Jackson had a similar trajectory, improving by nearly 10 seconds from high school (2:05.27) to her senior year (1:55.83).

Tufts got off to a strong start against Brandeis. Peter LaBarge led the way with a sprint sweep, while Quinci Wheeler claimed victory in the 100 free and 100 breast.

Conference Rivalry Comes Down to Last Relay

Wheaton (IL) and Carthage swam their annual dual meet, with defending CCIW champs Wheaton claiming victory by just two points in the women’s meet (143-141), pulling past Carthage with a dominant win in the 200 free relay. The Wheaton men, defending runner-ups, also claimed victory (156.5-143.5). This is the third time in as many years that a meet between the two rivals has come down to the final relay. Two years ago, the Carthage men won their annual dual meet by one point, and went on to claim the conference title by only 6.5 points.

Last year, Wheaton’s sole representative at NCAAs was Anthony Fitzgerald, who scored in both breaststroke events. He was victorious every time he hit the water this weekend, winning the 100 breast, 200 breast, and 200 IM, as well as swimming breaststroke on his team’s 200 medley relay. Carthage’s last NCAA appearance came in the 2021-22 season, with Mitchell Mages making a finals appearance in the 100 breast.

Next up, both teams will host their own invitationals December 1-2.

Coming Up Next

Following the Thanksgiving break, the Denison Invitational will give us our next look at the top-ranked women’s teams. Denison and Emory, who finished 1st and 2nd respectively last season, will hit the water alongside Washington (MO), D1 Eastern Michigan, and D2 Emory & Henry. The Emory men won the national title last season while Denison slid to 8th, their lowest finish since 1983.