2022-23 NCAC Swimming & Diving Athletes of the Week

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October 10th
	Brendan Downey, Denison (Avon, CT/Avon) Denison senior Brendan Downey opened the season by sweeping the diving events and helping the Big Red finish in second place against NCAA Division I competition at the Akron Zips Classic. Downey kicked off the meet by winning the 3-meter diving event with a total score of 240.00 on Friday, before coming back on Saturday to win the 1-meter event with a score of 242.85.		Esme Wright, Denison (Cincinnati, OH/Walnut Hills) Denison junior Esme Wright earned both a win and a National "B" cut in the 400 IM with a time of 4:28.13 at the Akron Zips Classic, while helping the Big Red add two more "B" cuts in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays. Denison finished third in the 400 freestyle relay (3:28.00) and fourth in the 200 freestyle relay (1:35.17).

October 17th
	Israel Zavaleta, Kenyon (Mexico City, Mexico/Universidad Del Valle De Mexico) Kenyon junior Israel Zavaleta won both the one-meter and three-meter competitions at Ohio University on Oct. 14-15. On Friday, he posted a score of 314.80 to win the one-meter, leading an Owls quartet that finished 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th. On Saturday, he scored a 388.10 and broke the Ohio University three-meter pool record, which was previously set at 361.42 by Tim O'Brien in the 1986 season.		Elise Umbach, DePauw (Evansville, IN/FJ Reitz) DePauw sophomore Elise Umbach competed at the Indiana Division III Invitational last week, finishing first in three events. Umbach swam the second leg of the Tigers winning 200-yard medley relay (1:53.58), while also collecting the 100-yard breaststroke (1:08.63) and 200-yard breaststroke (2:30.53) titles.

October 24th
	Miguel Siwady, Oberlin (San Pedro Sula, FL/Escuela Internacional Sampedrana) Oberlin freshman Miguel Siwady played a major role in the Yeomen's victory over Division II Malone. The first year was a part of three wins, including a triumph in the 1,000-yard freestyle (10:00.16) which marked the third fastest time in program history. He also won the 100-yard back (55.59) and swam lead-off on the winning 200-yard free relay (1:32.35).		Emma Connors, Wooster (Corapolis, PA/Moon Area) Wooster junior Emma Connors was a triple winner in Saturday's season-opening win over Mount Union. Connors aced the triple-distance format with winning efforts in the 200 (2:05.77), 500 (5:36.36), and 1000-yard freestyle (11:19.97) events.

October 31st
	Caleb McCarty, Wabash (Decatur, IN/Bellmont) Wabash senior Caleb McCarty posted a pair of individual victories and a second-place finish for the Little Giants in dual meets versus Rose-Hulman and Albion over the weekend. The senior won the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 21.97, in addition to a first-place finish in the 100 free with a time of 48.18 on Friday at Rose-Hulman. On Saturday against Albion, he posted a time of 22.30 in the 50 free, earning a second-place finish in that event. In addition to his individual performances, McCarty also helped the Little Giants to event victories in the 200 free relay against Rose-Hulman (1:29.49) and the 400 free relay against Albion (3:15.04).		Tarah Lang, DePauw (Marshall, MI/Marshall) DePauw senior Tarah Lang led the Tigers in total points in a team win against Bethel. Lang took first in the 200-yard free (2:00.56) and second in the 100-yard free (55.00), while also swimming a leg in part of the Tigers' first-place 200-yard medley relay (1:53.10) and second-place 200-yard free relay (1:42.63).

November 7th
	Ben Hilfinger, DePauw (Beverly Hills, MI/Deptroit Country Day DePauw senior Ben Hilfinger earned a pair of individual first-place finishes at the Davenport Quad Meet. Hilfinger touched first among 33 participants in the 50-yard freestyle (21.39) before earning gold against 21 competitors in the 100 butterfly (50.66). The senior was also runner-up in the 100 free (46.88) and helped the Tigers to third-place finishes in the 200- (1:28.77) and 400 (3:14.15) free relays, as well as the 400 medley relay (3:37.66).		Alexandra White, Kenyon (Greensboro, NC/Wesleyan Christian Academy) Kenyon senior Alexandra White propelled the Owls to wins against Ohio Wesleyan and Denison on back-to-back days. Against the Battling Bishops, she contributed the leadoff leg in the Owls' victory in the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:33.13) and finished second in the 200-yard freestyle (1:55.76). Against Denison, she was a part of four event wins, including the 50-yard freestyle in an NCAA 'B' cut of 23.53, which also checked in as a top-three time among all NCAA Division III swimmers this season. White also collected a win in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 52.28 and swam the anchor on the Owls' 200-yard medley relay team that turned in a winning time of 1:42.14, which cleared the NCAA 'B' cut, before anchoring the winning 200-yard freestyle relay team that finished in 1:34.61 for another 'B' cut.

November 14th
	Owen Kennedy, Ohio Wesleyan (Columbus, OH/Bishop Hartley) Ohio Wesleyan senior Owen Kennedy won a pair of individual events and helped the Battling Bishops to a relay victory in a dual meet win against Wittenberg on Saturday. Kennedy won the 50-yard freestyle in 23.50 seconds and the 200 backstroke in 2:05.11. He also helped OWU's 200 medley relay team win its event in 1:44.65.		Hallie Findlan, Wooster (Jefferson Hills, PA/Thomas Jefferson) Wooster sophomore Hallie Findlan was a quadruple winner in the Fighting Scots' team victory over Westminster on Saturday. The sprint specialist led off the Scots' 200-yard medley relay (1:53.83), which won by nearly eight seconds. She also cruised to a near-two-second win in the 50 freestyle (24.61), while compiling a near-four-second win in the 100 freestyle (53.91), and anchored the 200 freestyle relay team (1:43.63), which won by over five seconds. Wooster has now won 17 straight dual meets.

November 21st
	Yurii Kosian, Kenyon (Odesa, Ukraine/Odesa School 101) Kenyon senior Yurii Kosian was a major contributor in the Owls' team victory at the three-day Total Performance Swim Camps Invitational. Kosian picked up five first-place finishes, two individual wins and three relay victories, to go along with one second-place finish. The senior cleared an NCAA 'A' cut in the 200-yard backstroke and cleared an NCAA 'B' cut in five races, while setting Division III season-best times in the 200 back (1:43.38), 400 medley relay (3:14.50), 200 medley relay (1:27.93), 100 backstroke (47.03), and 800 freestyle (6:40.89).		Elisabeth Ragone, Oberlin (South Orange, NJ/Columbia) Oberlin senior Elisabeth Ragone helped the Yeowomen capture the team title at the three-day Oberlin Midseason Invitational. The senior propelled the Yeowomen in the 200 free relay which touched first in a time of 1:38.52 and set a new school record in the process. Ragone also recorded the program's second-fastest time in the 50 free (24.27) and the ninth-fastest time in the 100 free (54.20).

December 5th
	Richie Kurlich, Denison (Kent, OH/Walsh Jesuit) Denison senior Richie Kurlich earned two event wins and five Division III "B" cuts, as the No. 5-ranked Big Red claimed the team victory at their home invitational. Denison secured the win by just 4.5 points over defending National Champions and No. 1-ranked Emory. Kurlich highlighted Thursday with a win in the 200 IM after posting a National "B" cut time and a new pool record of 1:47.10. He then went on to win the 100 butterfly with a "B" cut time of 47.99 seconds on Friday. His performances in the 200 IM, 100 breast (53.95) and 200 fly (1:47.42) were the fastest among all NCAC athletes so far this season.		Ollie Bream, Wooster (Pinehurst, TX/Firbank Grammar School (Australia)) Wooster sophomore Ollie Bream logged a NCAA Division III "B" cut time of 2:05.14 to win the 200 butterfly at the Wooster Invitational. Bream also scored a first-place finish in the 400 IM (4:33.77) and was the runner-up (top Div. III finisher) in the 200 IM (2:07.39). Bream helped the Scots to top-five finishes in the 200- (1:48.91) and 400 (4:08.96) medley relays, as well as the 400- (3:33.67) and 800- (8:01.04) freestyle relays.
January 9th
	Patrick Daly, Denison (New Albany, OH/New Albany) Denison sophomore Patrick Daly recorded three top-three times in a dual meet against the No. 2-ranked team in NCAA Division II, the University of Indianapolis. The sophomore finished second in both the 200 free (1:44.99) and the 200 IM (1:55.17), and captured third in the 100 free (47.27).		Evelyn VanderVelde, Ohio Wesleyan (Holland, MI/ Holland) Ohio Wesleyan senior Evelyn VanderVelde (Holland, MI/ Holland) won two individual events and was a part of a winning relay which helped the Battling Bishops earn the team title at the four-team Collegiate Invitational Sprint Meet on Saturday in Stuart, FL. The senior won the 200 IM in 2:23.37 and the 50 breaststroke in 33.32 seconds. VanderVelde also anchored the winning 200 medley relay team that touched the wall in 2:02.22.
January 16th
	Ben Hilfinger, DePauw (Beverly Hills, MI/Detroit Country Day) DePauw senior Ben Hilfinger paced the Tigers with two individual first-place finishes to go along with swimming a leg of two first-place relay finishes against Franklin. The senior touched the wall first in the 50 free with a time of 21.17 and then earned first in the 100 butterfly with a time of 50.37. Hilfinger and his teammates started the dual meet off with a victory in the 200 medley relay (1:38.07) and then claimed the final event victory in the 400 free relay (3:13.23).		Elisabeth Ragone, Oberlin (South Orange, NJ/Columbia) Oberlin senior Elisabeth Ragone claimed two individual victories and swam a leg on two winning relays. In a double-dual against Kenyon and Ohio Northern, Ragone outswam 11 competitors to earn the 50 free victory (24.80), while also taking second in the 100 free (56.05). The senior was also a part of the 400 medley relay that took second (3:46.58). On Saturday against Ohio Wesleyan, Ragone won the 50 free (25.02) and was a member of two winning relays, swimming anchor on the triumphant 200 medley relay (1:55.95) and leadoff in the victorious 200 free relay (1:42.50).
January 23rd
	Caleb McCarty, Wabash (Decatur, IN/Bellmont) Wabash senior Caleb McCarty posted two individual victories against NCAA Division I opponents Valparaiso University and Eastern Illinois University Friday evening in dual-meet competition. The senior won the 50 free (21.35) and also turned in a season-best time to win the 100 free (46.71).		Ella Campbell, Kenyon (Boone, NC/Watauga) Kenyon senior Ella Campbell claimed two wins in the Owls’ victory over Case Western Reserve on Saturday. Campbell finished first in the 50 free with a time of 23.58 seconds, which notched a new personal best, cleared an NCAA 'B' cut, and set a pool record in the process. The senior also anchored the Owls' winning 200-yard medley relay team (1:44.89) that cleared an NCAA 'B' cut time.
January 30th
	Richie Kurlich, Denison (Kent, OH/Walsh Jesuit) Denison senior Richie Kurlich put together a strong performance during his Senior Day as he recorded his best times this season and finished first in both the 100 butterfly and the 100 IM, as Denison defeated Ohio Wesleyan and Youngstown State in a double dual meet on Saturday. Kurlich and his teammates got the meet started with a win in the 100 medley relay, touching the wall in 41.00 seconds. In the 100 fly, the senior claimed first with an NCAA Division III "B" cut time of 47.87 seconds, which ranks him No. 8 in all of DIII. Then in the 100 IM, Kurlich picked up the win while posting the NCAA’s top time in the event at 49.54 seconds. Lastly, the senior was part of the second-place 100 freestyle relay (37.75 seconds).		Jennah Fadely, Kenyon (Siler City, NC/Jordan Matthews) Kenyon sophomore Jennah Fadely recorded three wins in the Owls tough 169-130 loss to NCAA Division I Miami (OH) University on Friday. Fadely swam a leg on the winning 200-yard medley relay team, which clocked at 1:39.92 to set a new pool record and is currently the second fastest time in Division III this season. The sophomore then went on to sweep the breaststroke events, winning the 100 in a time of 1:00.36, which was not only a pool record, but also a Kenyon varsity record and the top time in Division III this season. Fadely then won the 200 in a career-best time of 2:14.34, which ranks as this season's second-best time in Division III.