From Emory University Athletics
On the strength of two more event national titles on the final day of competition, the Emory University Men's Swimming and Diving team has secured the 2016-17 Division III National Championship!!
The team title is the first-ever in the storied history of the Emory Men's Swimming and Diving program after previously finishing in the top-three at nationals 13 times including second place finishes in 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2009. Emory breaks through the stranglehold Kenyon College and Denison University has had over the NCAA Division III Men's Swimming and Diving world the past 37 years as no other program other than Kenyon or Denison has won the team title since 1979.
The title, along with the Women's Swimming & Diving team also winning the team championship on Saturday night, marks the 21st and 22nd Division III Championships in the history of the Emory Athletics program, with Women's Swimming and Diving claiming titles in 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, Women's Tennis winning championships in 1996, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2014 and 2016, Men's Tennis earning NCAA Championships in 2003, 2006 and 2012, Volleyball winning in 2008 and now Men's Swimming and Diving in 2017.
The Eagles, having never won more than three event titles in a single championship meet, recorded eight total over the four day meet en route to the national championship. Emory finished with 438 points, 54 more than second place Kenyon College. Denison rounded out the top three with 371 total points.
In addition to the eight event national titles (four individual, four relay), Emory set five Division III records, saw 16 All-America finishes and had four Honorable Mention All-Americans.
Senior Andrew Wilson was named the Swimmer of the Year for the second time in his career after an impeccable performance at the meet. Wilson won three individual titles in the 200 IM, 100 Breaststroke and 200 Breaststroke and assisted on a pair of relay wins: the 200 and 400 Medley Relay, all five wins setting new Division III records. On Saturday, Wilson closed out his remarkable Emory swimming career, winning the 200 Breast in dominant fashion, touching at 1:50.80 and winning the event by almost eight seconds.
Head Coach Jon Howell was named the Collegiate Swimmers Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Men's Swimming Coach of the Year after the meet for the first time in his career. Howell was also named the CSCAA Women's Coach of the Year.
Following Wilson's win in the 200 Breast, the 400 Freestyle Relay team of sophomore Trey Kolleck, juniors Alexander Hardwick, Oliver Smith and senior Hayes Burdette-Sapp clinched the win for the Eagles. The group defended their 400 Free Relay title, breaking the school record with a time of 2:56.68.
Adding All-America honors for Emory on Saturday night were Smith in the 100 Free, finishing third overall. During preliminaries, he broke his previous school record, touching at 43.54. Sophomore Matt Rogers finished fifth overall in the 200 Backstroke.
Junior Henry Copses, Kolleck and freshman Sage Ono added Honorable Mention All-America performances on the final day of action. Copses was 14th in the 1650 Freestyle (15:46.31), Kolleck was 16th overall in the 100 Freestyle while Ono was 14th in the 200 Back.