Springfield, Ohio — Wittenberg University will be represented in the 2012 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships by four swimmers competing in multiple relay events.
Molly Gustafson, class of 2014 from West Hartford, Conn., will compete in the national event for the second straight year after earning All-America honors in the 100-yard breaststroke in 2011. She will be joined at the 2012 meet, scheduled for March 21-24 at IUPUI Natatorium in Indianapolis, Ind., by Sarah Wilson, class of 2014 from Centennial, Colo., Keaton Hannon, class of 2012 from Peachtree City, Ga., and Ward McNulty, class of 2013 from New Trier, Ill.
The four Tigers earned a spot in the NCAA Division III Championships thanks to their school-record performance in the 200-yard medley relay at the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Championships last month. Wittenberg heads into the national competition ranked 12th nationally in the event, with the top 16 teams in each relay automatically earning spots. This is the largest representation from Wittenberg in more than a decade.
The Tiger quartet will compete in a total of four relays at the NCAA Division III Championships, in addition to any individual events in which the swimmers have posted provisional qualifying times. Gustafson will again compete in the 100-yard breaststroke, while Hannon will compete in the 100-yard butterfly and Wilson has earned the chance to participate in the 100-yard backstroke. Both Hannon and Wilson broke school records in their respective events at the NCAC Championships. McNulty is the school record-holder in the 50-yard freestyle, but her time is just short of the mark necessary to compete individually at the national meet.
"I am extremely proud of this group of women who will be representing our teams at the NCAA meet," said Wittenberg Head Coach Natalie Koukis. "These women are setting the bar for the direction we are headed as a swimming and diving program. They are making a big mark in the history of our program, and we are looking forward to representing Wittenberg well."