The Emory University Men's Swimming and Diving team opened the 2017 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships with an impressive showing, claiming three event national championships: 200 IM, 50 Free and the 200 Medley Relay and setting two Division III national records.
Following the three titles, the Eagles sit in first place with 135 points, leading second place Kenyon College by 33 points. The two individual national championships bring Emory's total to 19 overall in program history while the relay national championship marked just the sixth all-time.
Senior Andrew Wilson captured his Emory-record sixth career national championship, winning the 200 Individual Medley for the second time. Wilson broke his own Division III record in the championship final, touching in a time of 1:44.18.
Junior Oliver Smith followed by taking home the 50 Freestyle title for the second consecutive year, winning the event in a time of 19.55, tying his own school record which he set at last year's NCAA Championships.
Emory closed out Wednesday's evening winning the national championship in the 200 Medley Relay. The group of Wilson, Smith, junior Cooper Tollen and freshman Sage Ono broke the previous Division III national record set by the Eagles earlier this season, throwing down a time of 1:26.14.
The Eagles added four individual All-American performances during the evening session including three in the 500 Freestyle. Sophomore Thomas Gordon swam a personal-best 4:22.69 to finish third overall. Senior Christian Baker touched in fourth at 4:24.04 (4:22.84 in prelims) with junior Henry Copses earning his first All-America honor of his career, placing eighth at 4:35.19 (4:28.83 in prelims). Sophomore Trey Kolleck added a seventh place effort in the 50 Free, posting a time of 20.26 (20.19 in prelims).
Ono registered Honorable Mention All-American acclaim, finishing 16th overall in the 50 Freestyle with a time of 20.67 (20.64 in prelims).
The NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships continue on Thursday with the preliminaries beginning at 11:00 AM EST with the finals to follow at 7:00 PM EST. Day two events include 400 IM, 100 Butterfly, 200 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle Relay and the 400 Medley Relay.