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MANSFIELD, Texas, March 16. THE NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships witnessed a heavy revision of its record books during the penultimate evening of racing.
Wayne State's women pushed its lead out to 392 to 337.5 over UC San Diego, as three-time defending champion Drury fell to third with 337 points. Tampa (173) and Grand Canyon (172) placed fourth and fifth heading into the final day. Wayne State is looking to break into the win column after three straight runner-up finishes to Drury.
Drury remained in the lead in the men's team race with 330, while UC San Diego held second with 307 points. Drury is looking to win its eighth consecutive title on the men's side. Wingate (239), Grand Valley (233) and Incarnate Word (231) comprised the rest of the top five.
Wingate's Iaroslav Denysenko cleared the NCAA DII record in the men's 500 free with a winning time of 4:21.48. That swim bettered the 4:22.58 set by Vlasta Burda of Cal State Bakersfield back in 2002. Nova Southeastern's Oskar Nordstrand touched second in 4:23.20, while Drury's Ryan Arabejo finished third in 4:24.84.
Bridgeport's Oscar Pereiro became the first man in Division II history to break 47 seconds in the men's 100 back. He clocked a 46.99 to clear the 47.31 record set by North Dakota's Rodrigo Ferreira back in 2006. Florida Southern's Jeffrey Halfacre took second in 47.52, while GVSU's Raphael Santos earned third in 48.18.
After setting the Division II record with a 1:01.58 during prelims, Wayne State's Kayla Scott topped the women's 100 breast in 1:02.16 in the finale. Wayne State's Ana Gonzalez Pena held the previous record with a 1:01.86 from 2011. California Pennsylvania's Melissa Gates took second in 1:03.38, while UCSD's Emily Adamczyk finished third in 1:03.57.
IUP's Jaclyn Hynson raced to victory in the women's 200 fly with a 1:58.84 for the NCAA DII record. She smashed the 1:59.69 set by Drury's Yuan Qing Li in 2009. Southern Connecticut's Amanda Thomas also dipped under the record with a second-place 1:59.11, while GVSU's Caitlyn Madsen snared third in 2:01.88.
Florida Southern's Jeffrey Halfacre, Luis Rojas, Allan Gutierrez and Stephen Swan captured the men's 800 free relay in 6:27.73. That swim eclipsed the NCAA DII record of 6:30.77 set by Drury back in 2009. Drury placed second in 6:28.28, while Wayne State finished third in 6:32.49. Wayne State's Andrey Seryy bested his NCAA DII record in the 200 free with a 1:35.05. That broke the 1:35.61 he used in the 200 free individual final to down John Keppeler's 1993 standard of 1:35.81 set for UC Davis.
Nova Southeastern's Erin Black claimed the women's 500 free in 4:49.86, while UCSD's Anjali Shakya placed second in 4:51.14. Wayne State's Catherine Leix wound up third in 4:51.87.
Ashland's Julie Widmann captured the women's 100 back crown in 54.66. Ouachita's Ksenia Gromova (54.78) and Wayne State's Ana Azambuja (54.84) picked up second and third.
GCU's Eetu Karvonen hit the wall in 53.29 to win the men's 100 breast. Florida Southern's Miguel Ferreira placed second in 53.59, while UCSD's Nicholas Korth wound up third in 53.79.
GVSU's Aaron Beebe won the men's 200 fly in 1:44.00, while Tampa's Norbert Kovacs touched second in 1:46.51. UCSD's Adam Rice finished third in 1:46.86.
In diving, Wingate's Lindsey Taylor won the women's one-meter event with 506.95 points. GVSU's Karen Verbrugge (502.65) and Wayne State's Carly Sevald (496.95) finished second and third.
Wayne State's Ana Azambuja, Catherine Leix, Kaylee Dolinski and Kei Cze Prentis claimed the women's 800 free relay in 7:22.27. UCSD (7:24.39) and Drury (7:25.03) rounded out the top three.
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