Three NCAC Meet Records Go Down on Night 3, Two by Denison and One by Kenyon
The 2026 NCAC Championships, held from February 10-14 in Granville, Ohio, witnessed a thrilling display of swimming prowess as the Denison men and Kenyon women solidified their leads on the third night of competition.
Men's Recap:
Denison's Jack Hill broke through with two NCAC meet records. He shattered the 200-yard freestyle record, touching in a breathtaking 1:35.66. Hill's dominance continued as he currently holds the top time in Division III this season, having clocked a 1:35.18 back in December. His teammate, Nick Hensel, claimed second place with a time of 1:37.30.
The Denison 200-yard freestyle relay team, featuring Hill, Hensel, Cam Blevins-Mohr, and Samuel Hibbert, also set a new meet record. Hill's opening leg of 19.90 was followed by Hensel's lightning-fast 19.13 split, resulting in a remarkable 1:18.42. This time surpassed the previous record of 1:18.77, set by Kenyon's relay team in 2012.
Blevins-Mohr shone individually, claiming the 100-yard butterfly title with a personal-best time of 47.57, improving on his previous lifetime best of 48.21.
Denison's Ben Bevill and Devin Testin showcased their skills in the 100-yard backstroke, finishing in 1-2 positions. Bevill touched the wall in 48.42, while Testin followed closely behind with a time of 49.36.
The Kenyon men, led by Ethan Manske, made a significant impact in the 400-yard individual medley. Manske's impressive breaststroke split allowed him to surpass Denison's Luke Swiggett, winning with a time of 3:52.99 compared to Swiggett's 3:54.94.
Additionally, Noel Tumbasz of Kenyon claimed victory in the 100-yard breaststroke, touching the wall in 54.42, just 0.5 seconds ahead of teammate Leo Karnitz, who finished in 54.99.
Scores Through Day 3:
- Denison University - 1352.5
- Kenyon College - 1193.5
- John Carroll University - 805.5
- DePauw University - 716
- Wabash College - 655
- College of Wooster - 511.5
- Oberlin College - 471
- Ohio Wesleyan University - 276
- Wittenberg University - 112
Women's Recap:
The Kenyon women demonstrated their prowess, with Gwen Eisenbeis breaking the NCAC meet record in the 100-yard backstroke, touching in a stunning 54.36. This time eclipsed the previous record of 54.71 set by Olivia Smith of Kenyon in 2022. Eisenbeis, who entered the day with a lifetime best of 54.62, now takes the top spot in the NCAA rankings this season. Notably, she finished fifth in the 100-yard backstroke at the 2025 D3 NCAA Championships.
Molly Haag, another standout Kenyon swimmer, continued her winning streak, claiming the 200-yard freestyle title in a time of 1:49.68, just over a second ahead of Nora Lee Brown, who finished second in 1:50.69.
Kelsey Van Eldik of Kenyon dominated the 100-yard breaststroke, winning with a time of 1:01.32. Her season-best time of 1:00.76 currently leads the NCAA rankings by over a second.
Denison's women's 200-yard freestyle relay team, comprising Olivia Morse, Phoebe Ferguson, Hailey Kaminski, and Caroline Ramirez, finished in a close second place with a time of 1:32.43, just 0.07 seconds behind Kenyon's 1:32.50.
Ferguson's 100-yard butterfly performance was equally impressive, finishing second with a time of 55.40, just 0.02 seconds behind teammate Jassy Park, who won the event in 55.38.
Denison's Emily Harris claimed the 400-yard individual medley title, touching the wall in 4:22.77. Her season-best time of 4:20.06 currently holds the top spot in Division III.
Scores Through Day 3:
