Three meets down and three victories as the Ouachita Baptist University swimming and diving teams took first place at the 40th Hendrix Classic Friday night.
 
The TigerSharks finished with 415 points to roll to the victory. Centenary (358) took second, while Rhodes College (231) placed third. McMurry (199), Colorado (167), Texas-Permian Basin (158), Austin (155), Hendrix (145), John Brown (127) and Arkansas-Little Rock (79) rounded out the field.
 
The Lady TigerSharks finished with 421 points, while Centenary (357.5) placed second, followed by Texas-Permian Basin (295). Hendrix (238), McMurry (214.5), Colorado (198), Rhodes (169) and Austin (150).
 
Ouachita Baptist finished with 836 points, 114 ahead of second-place Centenary.
 
“We swam well,” Ouachita Baptist head coach Jim Dann said. “Sarah Watson made the automatic cut in the 200 back and swam the fastest time in the country so far this year. We limited the events that our number one people swam in order to see if our number two and three people could step up and score. We were successful in that.
 
Several swimmers stepped up and swam well. Stephen Blacklock and Trina May both swam good race.
 
“That will help us out as the year progresses,” Dann said. “We are still working very hard and it is showing in the back half of our races. Our legs are tired. We are looking forward to the Henderson Invitational meet next week. I do think that we are on the right track to swim well in the championship meets in February and March.”
 
The NCAA Division II swimming and diving rankings came out Friday afternoon with several top Ouachita Baptist swimmers slated in the top five in several categories.