Relentless title run puts Owls on top

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Charging into the second day of the four-day NCAA Division III Men's Swimming and Diving Championship, the Kenyon College Owls made a very loud statement. Winning five of six events and setting two records throughout the Thursday schedule, the Owls vaulted into first place at the halfway point of the national meet.

The Owls are now perched atop the leaderboard with 282.5 points. Emory University is in second place with 257.5 points, while University of Chicago owns third with 198 points.

The first of those five national event titles for Kenyon was claimed in the session-opening 200-yard freestyle relay. With a time of 1:18.40, the Owl foursome of Djordje Dragojlovic, Mart Niehoff, Cherantha De Silva, and Daniel Brooks claimed gold. The NCAA event title was a first for all four members of the relay.

Senior Bryan Fitzgerald, no stranger to winning national titles, then hit the water and successfully defended his crown in the 400-yard individual medley. Fitzgerald generated a winning time of 3:49.58 to notch his third career national title, as well as his 13th career All-America award. In the same event, first-year Ethan Manske nailed down fifth place in 3:55.61 and junior Noah Hargrove claimed ninth place, winning the consolation final in 3:53.68.

The next national title for Kenyon was gained when junior Marko Krtinic took the top spot in the 100-yard butterfly. Not only did he win the event, he did so in an NCAA meet record time of 46.51, breaking the previous standard of 46.77 set by Chicago's Jesse Ssengonzi in 2022. The Owls got another boost from De Silva, who finished behind Krtinic in 47.13, which was good for fifth place.

At that point in the meet, the Kenyon flurry of titles pushed the Owls to the top of the team leaderboard. With two events still left on the night, Kenyon had 197.5 points and second-place Emory had 180.5 points.

Kenyon had just one swimmer, Yurii Kosian, in the 200-yard freestyle finals and he added team points with a fifth-place finish in a time of 1:37.58. Emory, however, had two of the top-four swimmers in the event and moved one point ahead of Kenyon in the team standings, 212.5-211.5.

When competition switched to the diving well, Kenyon tallied yet another title and another record. Junior Israel Zavaleta pulled off the repeat on the one-meter board, winning with an NCAA meet record score of 602.00. Senior teammate Mason Fishell scored a 457.45 and added an eighth-place finish, as the Owls regained the team lead by 13 points over Emory.

The lead was extended even more after the final event of the night, the 400-yard medley relay, was finished. Kenyon trotted out a lineup of Kosian, Luis Weekes, Krtinic, and Dragojlovic. They polished off the race in 3:11.39, while Emory's relay team was back in fifth place, giving Kenyon a 12-point advantage. The title was a first for Kosian and Weekes. For Krtinic and Dragojlovic, it was their second of the day.

Kenyon will try to hold its position Friday, when the Championship resumes with a day-three slate that includes preliminary heats at 10 a.m. and championship heats at 6 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Daniel Brooks: Sophomore

Mason Fishell: Junior

Noah Hargrove: Sophomore

Yurii Kosian: Junior

Marko Krtinic: Sophomore

Mart Niehoff: Junior

Israel Zavaleta: Sophomore

Bryan Fitzgerald: Junior

Luis Weekes: Junior

Cherantha De Silva: Senior

Players Mentioned

Daniel Brooks
: Sophomore

Mason Fishell
: Junior

Noah Hargrove
: Sophomore

Yurii Kosian
: Junior

Marko Krtinic
: Sophomore

Mart Niehoff
: Junior

Israel Zavaleta
: Sophomore

Bryan Fitzgerald
: Junior

Luis Weekes
: Junior

Cherantha De Silva
: Senior