From Emory University Athletics
The Emory University Men's Swimming and Diving program collected three more national championships on Saturday night as the Eagles finished the 2018 season as the NCAA Division III National Runners-Up.
The Eagles closed out the meet with 369.5 points, trailing only first-place Denison University (596.5). The second place finish is the sixth time since 2001 Emory has place second or better at the NCAA Championships.
The three event titles on the final day of competition brought Emory's four day total to nine, which marked the most by any team at this year's national championships as well as the most by an Emory team at a single NCAA championship meet, surpassing the 2017 squad's total of eight. The Eagles tallied 15 All-America performances (10 individual, five relay) and earned three Honorable Mention All-America certificates.
Senior Oliver Smith was named the Collegiate Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Men's Swimmer of the Year after recording two individual titles in the 50 and 100 Freestyles and assisting on four championship winning relays (200 Free, 400 Free, 200 Medley and 400 Medley). In the prelims of both the 50 and 100 Freestyle, Smith set the NCAA Division III record with times of 19.37 and 42.98 and with his time in the 100, he became the first male in Division III history to post a time under 43 seconds.
Junior Thomas Gordon began the evening by taking home his second individual title of the meet, winning the 1,650 Freestyle in a time of 15:15.60. Gordon also won the 500 Freestyle and was third in the 200 Freestyle.
Smith followed suite in the next event and claimed the 100 Freestyle with a finals time of 43.32. Junior Trey Kolleck tied for fourth at 44.11.
Smith and Kolleck helped the Eagles wrap up the meet on a winning note as the pair along with senior Aaron Schwartz and sophomore Sage Ono won the 400 Freestyle Relay in a time of 2:56.72.
Junior Matt Rogers and Ono added All-America honors for the Eagles on Saturday in the 200 Backstroke with Rogers placing sixth at 1:48.90 and Ono finishing eighth at 1:50.61.
Senior Cooper Tollen rounded out the award winners for Emory on the evening, earning Honorable Mention acclaim in the 200 Breaststroke, finishing 16th in a time of 2:03.93.