WQIO Ohio's Super Station
GREENSBORO, N.C. — On Wednesday, the Kenyon College women’s swimming and diving team kicked off its time at the 2024 NCAA Division III Championship. The Owls started strong by winning a title in the first championship event, and Kenyon finished the first of four days in second place.
Kenyon compiled 84 points after competing in two of the three individual event finals and racing in one relay. The Owls, who entered the season finale with the No. 1 spot in the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America’s Top-25 poll, have a 12-point edge over third-place Williams College, ranked No. 3 in the national poll. No. 2-ranked Denison University took pole position after night one, leading the way with 95 points.
First-year Bengisu Caymaz could not have asked for a better championship debut as she began the night by winning a national title in the 500-yard freestyle. Caymaz clocked in at 4:48.65 in the race, a season-best time for the Owls that nearly broke the program record of 4:48.52 set by Marysol Arce back in 2016, the last time a Kenyon woman won the 500 freestyle championship.
Caymaz collected her first All-America honor after earning a spot on the first team, and she was one of two Owls All-Americans in the event. Molly Haag secured a second-team spot after finishing ninth in the national standings, her fourth All-America award. The sophomore won the consolation final with a time of 4:53.35.
Kenyon had another All-American duo in the next event, the 200-yard individual medley. Juniors Jennah Fadely and Jordan Herrera were honored on the All-America First Team for their top-eight finishes. Fadely earned her 12th career All-America award and reached the podium with a bronze medal time of 2:01.72, the top time for the Owls this season. Herrera placed eighth at 2:04.24, a personal best, claiming her third All-America honor.
The opening evening ended with the 200-yard medley relay. The Owls entered the event with the eighth seed after the morning’s preliminaries, but Kenyon climbed to fifth in the final. The quartet of Caleigh Wukitch, Fadley, Gwen Eisenbeis, and Sydney Geboy combined to tally a time of 1:41.18.
Day two of the four-day meet begins tomorrow with preliminary heats at 10 a.m. before final heats at 6 p.m. Thursday’s slate includes three individual swimming events, two relay races, and the meet’s first diving event.
