Men's Recap:
Olivet Nazarene scored 658.5 points to capture their second straight NAIA Swimming and Diving National Championship Saturday night at the 2017 NAIA Swimming and Diving Championships at the Columbus Aquatic Center.
The Tigers took home 7-of-the-20 men’s events, including two on Saturday night. Magnus Poulsen, the NAIA Swimmer of the Year, earned his third individual national title by winning the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:47.38. Magnus Anderson captured Olivet Nazarene’s final individual national title in the 200 back with a time of 1:46.94. The Tigers finished runner-up in both the 1650 free and the 400 free relay.
SCAD Savannah brings home the second place trophy with 443 points. Joel Thatcher opened the night by breaking his second NAIA record of the meet, this time in the 1650 free. Thatcher touched the wall in 15:18.39 to break the NAIA record by over a second. Joel Ax ended his collegiate career with a national championship in the 100 free, finishing with a time of 43.56. The Bees also won the final event of the meet, the 400 free relay, with a time of 2:59.10.
In addition to SCAD’s team success, Ax garnered the NAIA Men’s Swim of the Meet Award for the second straight year for his performance in the 200 free. Ax broke the NAIA record by 0.01 to win the event with a time of 1:34.89.
Lukas Macek of Keiser (Fla.) and Shane Brinson of Biola (Calif.) won the final two individual national title of the day. Macek earned Keiser’s second individual national champion with a first place finish in the 200 breaststroke. Macek swam 2:00.51 to win the event and lead the Seahawks to a third place finish in the team standings with 397 points. Keiser’s head coach Adam Epstein was named the NAIA Men’s Swimming and Diving Coach of the Year.
Brinson was named the NAIA Men’s Diver of the Year after capturing his second title of the meet in the 1-meter dive competition. He totaled 259.60 points to win the event. Brinson also won the 3-meter dive competition at the meet.
The University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) finished fourth in the team standings with 321.5 points. Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.) tallied 298 points to finish fifth overall in the team standings.
Women's Recap:
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) captured their first-ever NAIA Women’s Swimming and Diving National Championship, Saturday night at the Columbus Aquatic Center. There were also two new NAIA records set in the water tonight.
The Tigers won 7-of-the-20 women’s events, including the 200 back tonight, scoring a total of 639 points. Amanda Moran got Olivet Nazarene’s night started by winning the 200 back in record time. Moran swam 1:56.87 to breaking the NAIA record set back in 2012. That swim also earned Moran NAIA Women’s Swim of the Meet honors. The Tigers added runner-up finishes in the 200 breast and the 400 free relay. Head Coach Scott Teeters garnered NAIA Women’s Coach of the Year honors.
SCAD Savannah (Ga.) was the NAIA National Runner-Up with 632.5 points. Julie Woody set a new NAIA record in the 100 free, touching the wall in 49.24. That win was the first of four wins on the night for the Bees. Sara Lacusky won the 200 breast with a time of 2:17.53, while Lydia Reinhardt and Rebecca Justus earned a 1-2 finish in the 200 butterfly. SCAD capped off their meet with a first place finish in the 400 free relay with a time of 3:25.11.
Lisa Tixier of Biola (Calif.) was named the NAIA Women’s Swimmer of the Year. Tixier won national titles in both the 50 free and the 100 butterfly, where she set a new NAIA record. Tixier also had a runner-up finish in the 100 free with a time of 50.42. Biola finished third at the championships with 343 points.
Courtney Hayward of Brenau (Ga.) earned the final individual national title of the meet. She swam 17:19.77 to win the 1650 free and helped lead the Tigers to a fourth place finish. Brenau recorded 264 points at the championships.
Awards:
Women’s Swim of the Meet: Amanda Moran, Olivet Nazarene – 200-yard backstroke (1:56.87)
Men’s Swim of the Meet: Joel Ax, SCAD Savannah – 200-yard freestyle (1:34.89)
Women’s Diver of the Year: Vanessa VanOoast, Olivet Nazarene
Men’s Diver of the Year: Shane Brinson, Biola
Women’s Swimmer of the Year: Lisa Tixier, Biola
Men’s Swimmer of the Year: Magnus Poulsen, Olivet Nazarene
Coach of the Year:
Women’s: Scott Teeters, Olivet Nazarene
Men’s: Adam Epstein, Keiser
