NJAC Swimmers Shine at NCAA Division III Championships

INDIANAPOLIS—The New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) had a standout performance on Friday at the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships, held at the IU Natatorium. NJAC swimmers delivered seven All-America performances, including several historic firsts, during the penultimate session of the four-day meet. NJAC Sports reported on the impressive achievements.

Women’s Competition

The 100-meter backstroke was a highlight for the women, with three NJAC swimmers earning All-America honors. Kean University’s Braelyn Wilson led the way, finishing third overall with a time of 54.30 seconds. This earned her a First Team All-America honor, her second of the meet and fourth of her career, and set a new school record. NJAC Sports

Rowan University’s Ella Pennington followed closely behind, clocking 54.68 seconds for fourth place and her second First Team All-America recognition of the championships. This was the sixth All-America honor of her career, improving upon her seventh-place finish in the same event last year. Kean’s Olivia Chow rounded out the NJAC contingent, finishing 10th in 55.20 seconds to earn Second Team All-America honors – her second career All-America award.

Salisbury University’s 800-meter freestyle relay team, comprised of Alexa Hilty, Rowan O’Donoghue, Jenna Krawlzik, and Olivia Polucha, finished 18th overall in 7:36.13, narrowly missing Second Team All-America honors by less than a second. Kean’s 200-meter medley relay team (Braelyn Wilson, Abby Burns, Olivia Chow, and Emma Bellars) finished 22nd in 1:44.79, while Salisbury’s quartet of Isabelle Salvatore, Mackenzie Gula, Lily Griffin, and Rowan O’Donoghue placed 25th in 1:45.67.

Salisbury’s Libby Miyashita placed 21st in the 200-meter butterfly with a time of 2:05.06. Mary Washington’s Soleil Clifford finished 38th in the 100-meter breaststroke (1:06.31), and Salisbury’s Maddie Powell placed 41st (1:06.67).

Men’s Competition

The men’s competition saw historic milestones and strong individual performances. USMMA’s Carter Kov earned a First Team All-America honor in 1-meter diving, scoring 486.60 points for fifth place overall. He was the top freshman in the event, edging out Kenyon’s Chase Smith. This adds to his Second Team All-America honor from the 3-meter event on Day One, concluding his first collegiate championship with two All-America citations.

Salisbury University’s 200-meter medley relay team of Mason Potts, Dominic Kazzi, Michael Paulos, and Michael DeSimone made history, becoming the first swimmers in the program’s history to earn First Team All-America recognition. They clocked 1:29.15 to finish seventh overall.

TCNJ’s 200-meter medley relay team of Andrew Kidchob, Tyler McGeehan, Joe McChesney, and M.J. Hoban also earned First Team All-America honors, finishing sixth overall with a time of 1:27.93.

McChesney added a Second Team All-America honor in the 200-meter butterfly, breaking his own program record twice in one day – first with a 1:47.31 in the prelims, then lowering it to 1:47.25 in the final to place ninth overall.

TCNJ’s Andrew Kidchob earned his eighth career All-America honor in the 100-meter backstroke, placing 13th in 48.46 seconds for Second Team recognition in his final collegiate event. The Lions’ 800-meter freestyle relay team of Steven Bendoraitis, Matt Liotti, Kyle Brushaber, and Gabe Beverini added Second Team All-America honors with a 16th-place finish in 6:39.60.

Cameron Byrd of Salisbury placed 20th in the 200-meter butterfly (1:48.43), while Salisbury’s Dominic Kazzi placed 23rd in the 100-meter breaststroke (55.32) and TCNJ’s Tyler McGeehan tied for 20th (54.99).

Looking Ahead to Day Four

The championships conclude on Saturday at the IU Natatorium. NJAC Sports reports that on the women’s side, Salisbury’s Addi Wood and Rowan’s Kaitlyn Crouthamel will swim the 1650-meter freestyle, Rowan’s Rowan O’Donoghue will compete in the 100-meter freestyle, Rowan’s Ella Pennington and Kean’s Olivia Chow are entered in the 200-meter backstroke, and Salisbury’s Maddie Powell will swim the 200-meter breaststroke. Salisbury and Kean will each field 400-meter freestyle relay teams to close out the women’s competition. On the men’s side, TCNJ’s Gavin Formon and Steven Bendoraitis will swim the 1650-meter freestyle, M.J. Hoban will compete in the 100-meter freestyle, and Tyler McGeehan is entered in the 200-meter breaststroke. TCNJ will close the meet with its 400-meter freestyle relay.