GRANVILLE, Ohio – The Ohio Wesleyan University men's swimming & diving team competed at the NCAC Swimming & Diving Championships this past Wednesday through Saturday, hosted by Denison. The Battling Bishops tallied 450 points, finishing eighth in the conference.

The Bishops broke two program records in the 400 yard medley relay and the 100 yard backstroke. John Wion, Ian Sander, Evan Lucas, and Nathan Ambler recorded a time of 3:27.80 in the 400 medley relay. Wion broke his own 100 back record twice, setting it now at 50.03.

DAY ONE
The Battling Bishops put up an even 100 points on day one, finding themselves in eighth place after the first round of relay finals.

OWU took eighth and 50 points in the 200 yard medley relay thanks to John Wion, Ian Sander, Evan Lucas, and Henry Gaudet. The quartet turned in a time of 1:34.12.

It was a similar result as Eric Sander, Lucas, Gaudet, and Nathan Ambler earned the Red and Black another 50 points in the 800 yard freestyle relay, again finishing eighth with a 7:07.90.

DAY TWO
Ohio Wesleyan stayed put in eighth place on day two, adding 79 points to bring their total to 179.

Nathan Ambler secured seven points finishing 21st in the 500 yard freestyle. He swam a 4:51.00 in prelims to earn a spot in the c-final before dropping nearly three seconds with a 4:48.36, finishing third in the heat.

Eric Sander recorded six points in the 200 yard individual medley, finishing 22nd. His prelim time of 1:59.40 earned him a spot in the c-final where he took fourth in the heat with a 1:59.68.

John Wion won 16 points for the Battling Bishops in the 50 yard freestyle, securing a spot in the b-final with a time of 21.22 in prelims. He would take fifth in the heat with a 21.16.

The Bishops' 400 yard medley team of Wion, Ian Sander, Evan Lucas, and Ambler made history by setting a new program record with a time of 3.27.80, taking eighth place and tacking on 50 points.

DAY THREE
The Battling Bishops tacked on 97 points on day three, remaining in eighth place at 276 total.

Evan Lucas and Collin Barth got the day started with 16 combined points in the 100 yard butterfly. Lucas secured a spot in the b-final with a 50.90 in prelims, improving to a 50.58 to finish sixth in the finals heat and take 15th place overall for 15 points. Barth took 27th and one point with a 54.30 in the c-final.

Eric Sander and Alex Tovtyn took home 16 points in the 400 yard individual medley. Sander got a spot in the b-final with a 4:19 in prelims. He dropped three seconds to finish 17th for 13 points with a finals time of 4:16.90. Tovtyn tallied three points in 27th, swimming a 4:43.30 in the c-final.

Nathan Ambler and Henry Gaudet scored 17 points in the 200 yard freestyle, both swimming in the c-final. Ambler swam a 1:45.68 for 10 points and 19th place while Gaudet turned in a 1:46.56 for seven points and 21st place.

Ian Sander and C.J. Abahazi recorded 20 points for the Red and Black in the 100 yard breaststroke. Sander earned a spot in the b-final with a perfect 1:00.00 prelim time, dropping a second in the finals heat to 59.07 for 15 points and 15th place. Abahazi swam a 1:03.42 in the c-final, taking 23rd and five points.

John Wion turned in the best finish of the week for Ohio Wesleyan in the 100 yard backstroke – and the best two performances in program history in the event. He broke his own record of 50.79 with a 50.40 in prelims, earning a spot in the a-final. Wion then dropped another 37 hundredths off of his record in the finals, finishing fifth overall and collecting 28 points at 50.03.

DAY FOUR
The Battling Bishops tacked on 174 points on the final day of competition, finishing the meet in eighth place with an even 450.

Ian Sander, Evan Lucas, and C.J. Abahazi got the day started with a combined 48 points in the 100 yard individual medley. Sander earned a spot in the a-final with a 53.77 in prelims, swimming a 54.03 in finals for ninth place and 24 points. Lucas swam a 54.88 in prelims to get a spot in the b-final in which he finished fifth in the heat at 55.23 and 14th overall for 16 points. Abahazi finished second in the c-final, swimming a 57.14 for 20th overall and eight points.

John Wion and Eric Sander secured 25 points for OWU in the 200 yard backstroke. Wion nabbed a spot in the b-final with a 1:56.05 in prelims, finishing fourth in the finals heat and 13th overall to earn 17 points with a time of 1:54.42. Sander swam a 1:59.14 to finish second in the c-final and earn eight points in 20th place.

Nathan Ambler and Henry Gaudet tallied 13 points in the 100 yard freestyle, both making an appearance in the c-final. Ambler swam a 47.83 to finish 21st and earn seven points. Gaudet turned in a 48.17 to finish 22nd and earn six points.

Ian Sander and Abahazi added 16 points in the 200 yard breaststroke. Sander earned a spot in the b-final with a 2:10.44 in prelims before swimming a 2:11.61 in finals to finish 18th overall and secure 12 points. Abahazi had a time of 2:17.49 in the c-final, finishing 24th for four points.

Lucas and Collin Barth collected 20 points in the 200 yard butterfly. Lucas secured a spot in the b-final with a 2:02.08 in prelims, dropping two seconds to a 2:00.41 in the finals and finishing 17th overall for 13 points. Barth took second in the c-final with a 2:08.92, getting seven points at 21st overall.

The Red and Black wrapped up the meet with 52 points in the 400 yard freestyle relay with Wion, Lucas, Gaudet, and Ambler recording a 3:11.51 for seventh place.

UP NEXT
The Bishops take one final crack at postseason competition at the Kenyon Fast Chance Invitational this coming Saturday, starting at 12 p.m. in Gambier.