Lords and Ladies set their sights high

Kenyon College is a small school situated on a hilltop in central Ohio. Boasting only 1,600 students, one may pass by this school and not give it a second look. But Division III swimming fans know the truth. Kenyon is a monster.

This year, the Kenyon College Lords men’s swim team is seeking its 30th straight NCAA Division III swimming title. That is, for three decades, the Kenyon men have dominated the world of Division III swimming. Their winning streak is the longest in the history of the NCAA, including men’s and women’s sports in Divisions I, II, and III. The Lords also hold the longest current streak, followed by the Methodist women’s golf team with 11 consecutive titles and the Abilene Christian men’s outdoor track and field team with 7 consecutive championships.

The Lords are led this year by 14-time All-American and 9-time national champion Matthew Harris. Harris, a senior this year, swept the butterfly events at last year’s Division III National Championships in Oxford, Ohio. Harris is also joined by junior Kegan Borland, sophomore Michael Mpistos, and junior Blair Withington.  Borland is a 7-time All-American who won the 1,650 freestyle last year and will anchor this year’s distance swimmers. Mpistos and Withington will also be key point producers. Mpistos carries in this year’s top time in the 200-yard backstroke, along with the third fastest time in the 100-yard backstroke. Withington, the junior out of Hastings, New Zealand, looks to help in the relays where he owns three national titles and is a 10-time All-American.

But Kenyon is by no means one-dimensional. The Ladies are also a force to be reckoned with. From 1984-2000, the Ladies hosted 17 consecutive National Championship trophies. That streak is second all-time, surpassed only by the Lords. The Ladies are the two-time defending champions, and will look to add a third consecutive title this year.

This year, the Ladies will be anchored by returning seniors Elizabeth Carlton, Tracy Menzel, Carolyn Barer, and Brittany Hurd. Carlton is a member of seven national champion relay teams, and also holds an individual title from 2007 in the 50-yard freestyle. Menzel took the title in 2007 in the 100-yard breaststroke, and Barer and Hurd also hold titles as members of relay teams. The Ladies will only have one returning champion this year in sophomore Kaitlyn Meirs. Meirs took home two championship trophies last year, one in the 1,650-yard freestyle and the other in the 500-yard freestyle. Also, look out for the Ladies’ younger swimmers. Sophomore Lauren Brady and freshman Alisa Vereshchagin both hold top times coming into this year’s championships.

Both the Lords and the Ladies face tremendous pressure this year from other teams. Both teams will be pushed by the likes of Denison, Emory University, and Johns Hopkins. With the pressure on and titles on the line, who will win this epic battle?

Stay logged-on to CollegeSwimming.com for statistics and results and to see if the Kenyon College Lords and Ladies can continue their domination of Division III swimming. The Division III National Championship meet runs today, March 18, through Saturday, March 22.