Oilers Lead Through Three Days at G-MAC/MEC Championship | One Day Remaining
Canton, Ohio – The third day of competition at the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) / Mountain East Conference (MEC) Swimming and Diving Championships took place on Thursday, Feb. 9 in Canton, Ohio at C.T. Branin Natatorium. With the bulk of the competition now in the rearview mirror, the Oilers are in an enviable position with both teams holding the top spot with only one final day remaining.
Findlay's men, ranked seventh in the country, have continued to push the gas pedal and now have scored 1,499 points, nearly double the point total of Ashland University which sits in second place. The Oilers women, ranked 19th in the country, are also in first, now with 1,378 points scored, 175 points clear of three-time defending champion Hillsdale College.
Quote from Coach Makepeace
We are rolling to a title on both sides right now, but we have to keep executing the plan for each individual. We cannot wait to bring hardware back to Findlay, but we have work still ahead!
We have had an exceptional meet up to the third day. Lots of emotions led today, which is natural for a four-day meet. Everyone wants to do their best to culminate the training and effort of a long training season — day three leaves us with that.
The emotions took over in the morning after some tougher races, but the rebound tonight completely overshadowed a challenging mental morning. Tonight was an A. Great atmosphere and energy led the way.
The D Crew started off the meet and paved the way to great swim after great swim. We loaded the A Final on the women's side, but it was really Megan Irwin and Jenna Daria who set the table tonight. They went 1-2 in the B Final which amped our squad up. Matteo Filippi and Rafa Lozano started the night for the men and we were off!
Our Backstroke squad took the baton and rolled with some 1-2 punches. Randy Keener swam great today and should see his name vault in the National conversation before Selection Tuesday in 10 days. Tyler Thomas, Joe Kroeger, and Jaden Humphrey did a great job rounding out the backstroke crew for the men.
Mille Berg had an awesome 100 back 100 breast combo that is tough, while Gracie Glaser rebounded from a tough morning to bring some heat tonight in the 100 breast. Rachel Poling closed hard to add to the point total; that was great to see in tandem with Katie Susi in the breaststroke.
Our men's breaststroke crew continues to push the envelope as Daniel Garcia set a pool record which was followed by Luca Chiandussi fighting back to finish 1-2 despite a really slow start.
We had amazing performances with a new school record in the 200 butterfly by Emily Mears-Bentley, who responded shortly after to lead the way to a new women's 800 freestyle relay record. Men's 200 butterfly and 800 free relay concluded another banner night.
Thursday's All-G-MAC Performances
Women
- In the first finals event of the evening, sophomore Abbie Kmet earned second-team all-G-MAC with a runner-up finish in the 500 freestyle. She completed the event in 5:11.24
- Earning third-team all-conference in the event, after a big day on Wednesday, junior Cecilia Langle had a time of 5:12.19 which was good for fifth in the race.
- Sophomore Sasha Melnyk won the title in the 100 backstroke with an NCAA B cut time of 55.80.
- Close behind was sophomore Mille Berg who earns second-team all-conference with a runner-up finish and a time of 57.43.
- Freshman Katie Susi was runner-up in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:05.47, earning second-team all-conference.
- A surefire pick for Freshman of the Meet on the women's side, Emily Mears-Bentley took down last year's event champion, Megan Clifford of Hillsdale, by more than a second in the 200 butterfly. Mears-Bentley qualified second in the morning prelims and in Thursday's finals, won with a B cut and meet record time of 2:02.44. That time also establishes a new Findlay record, besting the mark of 2:04.13 which was set in 2014 by Molly Cade, the third-oldest record that remained on the books.
- Macy May earned third-team all-G-MAC with a fourth-place finish and a time of 2:11.10, a lifetime best.
- In the 800 freestyle relay, the Oilers were winners as Mears-Bentley, Langle, Macee Reckard (Fr.), and Kmet teamed up to touch the wall in a time of 7:37.22 which set a new meet record. It also broke the school record which was set back in 2017.
Men
- Freshman Matteo Filippi, making a great case for Freshman of the Meet, picked up yet another conference title in the 500 freestyle, winning the race in a time of 4:35.38.
- Taking third in the event and earning second-team all-G-MAC was sophomore Rafael Lozano who had the fastest time in the morning's prelims. He clocked a time of 4:43.43 in the finals.
- Back in the water after an electric second day, senior Tim Stollings was a winner in the 100 back for the fourth consecutive year. Thursday he took first with a time of 47.19 which is good for the NCAA B cut in the event.
- Also earning a B cut time was freshman Randy Keener II who was runner-up in the race with a 47.94, a new lifetime best.
- Completing the Findlay sweep and earning third-team all-conference is sophomore Tyler Thomas who tied for third with a time of 50.52, also a lifetime best.
- Junior Daniel Garcia is continuing an incredible meet and has now won the conference title in the 100 breaststroke in three consecutive seasons. Garcia finished with a time of 52.58 which established new pool and meet records and is an automatic qualifier in the NCAA Championship. That time was not his fastest of the year, however, as Garcia still holds the quickest 100 breast time in Division II this season, a 51.93 from the Calvin Winter Invite in December.
- Junior Luca Chiandussi, one of the unsung heroes on this Oilers squad, was runner-up in the event with an NCAA B cut time of 54.97, earning all-conference status.
- Winning the 200 butterfly was sophomore Camilo Marrugo who went for a lifetime best time of 1:47.08, good for an NCAA B cut and the sixth-best time in Division II this season. He took down the two-time defending champ in the event, teammate Tim Stollings.
- Stollings was the runner-up, clocking a time of 1:50.68. Teammate Adam Hornak took third and earns all-conference honors with a time of 1:50.90.
- In the last finals event of the night, the Oilers continued their winning ways with a dominating performance in the 800 freestyle relay. Angel Margaritov (So.), Aidan Shue (Jr.), T. Thomas, and Garcia won the event with a time of 6:50.68. Findlay has now won the event at conference in three consecutive seasons.
Team Scores
Women
1. University of Findlay 1378
2. Hillsdale College 1203.5
3. Ashland University 702.5
4. Frostburg State University 574
5. Notre Dame College 429
6. Wheeling University 377
7. Davis & Elkins College 343
8. Fairmont State University 307
9. West Virginia Wesleyan College 203
10. Malone University 153
Men
1. University of Findlay 1499
2. Ashland University 808
3. Frostburg State University 782.5
4. Fairmont State University 609.5
5. Notre Dame College 579
6. Davis & Elkins College 458
7. Malone University 362
8. West Virginia Wesleyan College 98
9. Wheeling University