The NMU swim and dive team has returned from Indianapolis, where the NCAA Championships were held. Both men’s and women’s Wildcat teams competed, with the women taking 16th place and the men placing 13th.

The team was off to a great start to kick off the week. Sophomore Kalina Ceglinski made it to the finals of her event— the 1-meter dive. Ceglinski also qualified for the finals of the 3-meter dive. While she didn’t place in the top three, Ceglinski placed 12th in the 1-meter dive and eighth in the 3-meter dive. Ceglinski was awarded Second Team All-American honors for her 1-meter dive performance and First Team All-America honors for the 3-meter dive.

In men’s diving, two Wildcats competed at the NCAA Championships, but only one made it to the finals. Junior Tobie Stiles placed 11th in both the prelims and the final, while fellow Wildcat freshman Benaiah Schnurstein finished 17th in the prelims.

In the men’s 100 freestyle, junior Leo Nolles secured the bronze medal. The bronze medal also came with First Team All-America honors. And in the women’s 1,000 freestyle, sophomore Anika Wright placed 13th and earned Second Team All-America honors. She also earned two other All-America awards. First, she was awarded another Second Team honor for her finish in the 500 freestyle. She was also awarded First Team honors for her 1,650 freestyle, where she placed 8th overall.

Both the men’s and women’s teams had relay teams. The women had two, while the men had one. First, the women raced in the 200 medley relay. The team placed 15th and got Second Team honors. This team was made up of Becca Burrows, Camilla Carbone, Zoe DeKievit and Mia Strazny. The other women’s relay team that competed at the championships was the 400 medley relay. this team was made up of Burrows, Carbone, Elena Curti and DeKievit. This relay team placed 13th and earned Second Team honors.

Finally, the men’s relay team competed in the 400 freestyle relay. This team placed 8th overall and earned First Team honors. This group was made up of Gabriel Fulconi, Daniel Khmara, William LaCount and Nolles.

Carbone, a graduate student, came in 8th and earned All-America Honors for her 100 backstroke. Strazny, a senior from Wisconsin, came in 8th place in the 200 backstroke, earning Second Team All-America honors. Strazny also placed 11th in the 100 backstroke. In the men’s 200 breaststroke, senior Wyatt Dickman was awarded Second Team All America Honors as well as placing 11th.

Overall, these were great championships for both the men’s and women’s teams, as well as the whole NMU program. If you want to see more of these athletes, you will have one final opportunity this semester. The team will compete in their spring scrimmage, which will be held on April 18 at 4 p.m. in the PEIF Pool.