Kenyon men ready to compete for NCAC crown

2/9/2026 3:00:00 PM

GAMBIER, Ohio -- The North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Men's Swimming and Diving Championship has, historically, been a two team race between Kenyon College and Denison University. The next installation of the championship starts Wednesday, when the four-day conference clash gets underway at Trumbull Aquatics Center on Denison's campus.

Over the last four years, Kenyon and Denison have split titles with Denison winning in 2022 and again in 2025, while Kenyon claimed the two titles in between those years. Going back to the first NCAC Championship, contested in 1985, Kenyon has claimed 26 titles, while Denison has earned 14.

Kenyon, ranked at No. 5 in the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association (CSCAA) NCAA Division III Top-25 Dual Meet Poll, will have three returning NCAC event champions competing in this year's championship meet. That trio includes seniors Djordje Dragojlovic and Ethan Manske, as well as junior Roman Savage.

Dragojlovic is a speed demon that not only owns the NCAC's top time, but owns NCAA Division III's top time, in the 50-yard freestyle. He also ranks first in the NCAC and second in the NCAA in the 100-yard freestyle, an event in which he established the Kenyon record back in November. Over his first three years of NCAC Championship competition, Dragojlovic amassed 13 events titles (six individual, seven relay).

Manske returns to the championship as the two-time defending champion in the 400-yard individual medley. His best time in the event this year currently ranks second among all conference swimmers. Mankse also has one NCAC relay title on his resume.

Savage will be the Owls top threat in butterfly events. He won the 2025 NCAC title in the 100-yard butterfly and currently possesses the NCAC's top times in both the 100- and 200-yard butterfly races. Savage also excels in distance events, so look for him to possibly rack up Kenyon points in the 500- and 1,650-yard freestyles.

Additional support in the distance events could come from senior Teo Jaworski, as well as first-years Matthew Amodio and Gabriel Cowart.

Manske might make an impact in backstroke events, too, along with junior Peter Dunson and first-year Kristof Szappanos.

In the breaststroke competitions, junior Noel Tumbasz has been knocking at the door. He owns the NCAC's second best times in both breaststroke races this season and he has a trio of third-place finishes over the last two championship meets.

The Owls diving squad will be led by James Lackner and Chase Smith. Lackner is a sophomore who placed fourth on both boards a season ago, while Smith is a first-year looking to bolster the Kenyon point total.

Denison swept all five relay events last season, but Kenyon swept all five the previous two seasons. Going into this championship Denison holds the current top time in four of the five relays. Kenyon owns the best time in the 200-yard medley relay.

The four-day competition begins Wednesday evening with a limited schedule. Then, from Thursday through Saturday, preliminary heats will be held each day at 9:30 a.m. and finals heats will go at 6:00 p.m.

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