Indianapolis, Ind. – The University of Findlay men's and women's swimming and diving teams got things started at the NCAA Division II National Championship which is being held at the Indiana University – Indy Natatorium as a part of the NCAA DII Festival which is being held in Indianapolis, Ind. Competition for UF began on Wednesday, March 12, the second of what will be five days of competition.
Finday's women sit in 14th in the team standings through the first day of action.
In the morning prelims, junior Emily Mears-Bentley got things started in the 200-yard individual medley, qualifying tenth in the event. Mears-Bentley, which set the program record in the event at last year's national championship, earned second-team all-American in the event for a second consecutive year, touching the wall in a time of 2:01.97. That time was good for tenth in the event, second in the B finals.
Sophomore Sofia Lesmes Montes also participated in the event and finished 30th with a time of 2:05.60.
A second-team all-American in the 50-yard freestyle last year, junior Troie Grubbs qualified 14th in the event on Wednesday with a time of 23.23. In the B finals, Grubbs finished eighth, taking 16th in the event to earn second-team honors for a second consecutive year. Also in the event was senior Sasha Melnyk who took 37th with a 23.58.
In the men's 1000-yard freestyle, junior Matteo Filippi wound up with a 28th-place finish, clocking in with a time of 9:21.31.
The night was capped with a new program record in the women's 200-yard medley relay. Findlay's team of Melnyk, junior Katie Susi, Mears-Bentley, and Grubbs raced to a time of 1:39.87 which breaks the school record set at last year's national championship. That time was good for sixth on Wednesday, good enough for first-team all-American honors.
Day Two will begin on Thursday, March 13 with prelims starting at 10 am.
