NCAA Division III Preview: Kenyon (Women) and Emory (Men) Ready to Defend Titles
The NCAA Division III Championships are slated for this week at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in North Carolina. Kenyon is the reigning champion on the women’s side while Emory has won the last three editions of the men’s meet. Here is a preview of the Division III action to come.
WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS
Emory found itself somewhere unusual at last year’s NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships, finishing in sixth place.
For a program that swept every women’s title from 2010-19, the Eagles are seeking to return to their sense of normal at Greensboro Aquatic Center, March 19-22, when the men’s and women’s competitions will proceed as one meet in North Carolina.
The Eagles enter the postseason carrying the CSCAA’s No. 1 ranking in the top-25 dual-meet poll, looking to build on consecutive runnerup results at NCAAs in 2023 and 2022, led by grad student Megan Jungers and a slew of talented freshmen.
Kenyon is the reigning champion on the women’s side, having won in 2022 and 2024, the former after Division III’s two-year hiatus for the COVID-19 pandemic. Just 18 points separated Kenyon and Denison last year. The women’s meet is often thrilling: Kenyon topped Emory by seven points in 2022, while the margin was nine for Emory over Kenyon in 2019.
Kenyon’s win in 2024 was sealed by a 1-2 in the 200 breast by Gabriella Wei and Jennah Fadely on the final day of the meet. Kenyon returns Bengisu Caymaz, who won the 500 free and 1650 free last year. Fadely, a six-time national champion who set the NCAA record in the 100 breast midseason, is back, as is Wei.
Denison’s quest for a title includes Emily Harris, who recorded a pair of top-three finishes at NCAAs last year, and Emma Pritchett. The Big Red are hoping for a return to form of 2022 national champion Taryn Wisner, who didn’t make an A-final at NCAAs last year.
NYU could be a dark horse contender. It returns last year’s Division III Swimmer of the Year Kaley McIntyre, who swept the 50, 100 and 200 free, plus 200 fly champ Caitlin Marshall.
Williams’ Sophia Verkleeren is in line to chase a third straight 200 IM championship, while 400 IM champ Neely Burns of Trinity College is also back. MIT’s Kate Augustyn could defend her titles in both backstroke events. MIT is second in the CSCAA February poll, ahead of Kenyon, Denison and NYU.
MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS
Change is the theme on the men’s side. Emory enters as the three-time reigning champion, having finished no worse than second every year since 2017. Kenyon has been the runnerup the last two years and is seeking its first title since 2015. Denison is the top team in the CSCAA poll, seeking its first title since three straight from 2017-19. The Big Red had finished sixth last season. Emory sits second in the poll, with NYU third and Kenyon a distant and uncharacteristic 13th.
Each team has undergone significant change in a meet where fewer than half of the champions from 2024 remain—and where swimmers from nine different schools won individual swimming events last year, a group that didn’t include 800 free relay winners Williams College.
Emory lost several key figures from last year’s team to graduation or transfer. The Thorsen brothers, Benjamin Thorsen and Harrison Thorse, head this group’s title hopes.
Kenyon’s aspirations rest with Djordje Dragojlovic, who won the 100 back and 100 free at NCAAs last year, was the runner-up in the 50 and took part in three of the Lords’ winning relays. Connecticut College’s Justin Finkel, the winner in the 500 free and 200 fly—and last year’s Division III Swimmer of the Year—is back, as is 50 free champ Tobe Obochi of MIT and mile winner Lucas Lang of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
