INDIANAPOLIS, IN – On the first day of
the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships being
hosted by Franklin College at the Indiana Natatorium March 21-14
the Eph men accumulated 42 points and find themselves in
7th place. Kenyon leads with 129 points.
The Ephs scored in the first event of the night, the 500
freestyle, with junior Tom Vieth claiming
9th place in a time of 4:29.84, which was an improvement
on his prelim time of 4:31.23.
First years Thad Ricotta
and Christian
Gronbeck came in 13th and 15th
respectively. Ricotta had finished 16th in the morning,
but his 4:33.40 moved him up and Gronbeck finished in 4:45.04 in
15th.
Sophomore Paul Dyrkacz, the defending champion in the 200 IM finished .38 behind Redlands' Jeffrey Depew in the morning prelims and despite lowering his time by 1.14 in the finals Dyrkacz was unable to catch Depew and finished second.
The final event of the first night was the 200 Medley Relay and the Eph quartet of junior Phil Treesh, senior Greg McElroy, senior John Guiffre. and junior Daeus Jorento finished 12th in a time of 1:32.84.
“Paul’s [Dyrkacz] swim tonight was unbelievable, he was a big chunk faster than he was last year. That was a great swim for him and it bodes well for the team.
Our 500 free guys were good too. All three had best times in the morning and good swims at night and two of them – Chris Gronbeck and Thad Ricotta -- are freshman. Tom Vieth was good in both the morning and night swims.
We need to do well in the relays and just grind it out as best we can. We had a very good start."
