In Greensboro, North Carolina, Luke Schwenk of Broadneck High in Annapolis, Maryland, showcased his remarkable skills at the NCAA Division III Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships on March 21. The senior swimmer secured his sixth career All-America award by finishing 10th in the 100-yard backstroke, with a time of 48.17, during the consolation finals. Schwenk, a 6-foot-2 team captain, entered the preliminaries seeded seventh, posting a time of 48.23 and narrowly missing the championship finals by a mere 0.17 seconds.
Despite narrowly missing out on the championship finals, Schwenk delivered a strong performance in the consolation finals. Leading the race initially, he was ultimately outpaced by Calvin College’s Charles Platt, who clinched ninth place with a time of 47.90. Schwenk’s 48.17 secured him second in the consolations and 10th overall, earning him his third Second Team All-America recognition. This achievement added to his success at the 2024 NCAA Championships, where he finished seventh in the same event and earned First Team All-America honors.
The versatile and enduring Schwenk is a consistent standout in Division III swimming, with his latest accolade further affirming his talent. The NCAA Championships are a platform where Schwenk continues to showcase his skills, aiming to improve his standings in his final individual event of the championships, the 100-yard freestyle preliminaries, on March 22.
On the women’s side, Kelsie Miller from Winston Churchill High in Potomac, Maryland, made her mark at the NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships. Competing in the 200-yard butterfly, Miller finished third in her heat with a time of 2:07.19, surpassing her seed time by over a second. Despite entering the competition seeded 38th, Miller climbed to 31st overall in a challenging field of 41 swimmers.
As she wraps up her second NCAA appearance, Miller is set to compete in the 100-yard freestyle preliminaries on March 22. With a promising track record and a notable improvement in the 200-yard butterfly, Miller aims for a stronger performance in her final race of the championships.
The NCAA Championships, hosted at the Greensboro Aquatic Center, serve as a stage for showcasing top Division III talent. This event, which attracts hundreds of athletes annually, offers live coverage for fans and supporters, highlighting the competitive depth of the meet. The championships distinguish First Team All-America honors for top-eight finishes and Second Team honors for places nine through 16, as outlined in the NCAA’s official guidelines.
Schwenk and Miller’s performances reflect Maryland’s strong presence in collegiate swimming, embodying local pride on the national stage. Fans can catch the action live on NCAA.com, with preliminaries in the morning and finals in the evening. Schwenk’s impressive track record and Miller’s promising trajectory underscore the rich talent pool in Division III swimming, setting the stage for thrilling competitions and inspiring achievements.
