Denison senior Natalie Lugg highlighted day three of the 2014 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championship with her victory in the 100-yard breaststroke. The win marked the first national title in Lugg's decorated career at DU. It also helped the Big Red remain in the hunt for second-place in the team standings.
Through 14 of 20 events, Emory has pulled away with 411.5 points. Kenyon College is second with 299 points and Johns Hopkins trails the Ladies by one point at 298. Just 23 points out of second place is the Big Red, who will need a big Saturday in some of their strongest events to move up the leaderboard.
In the 100 breaststroke, Lugg posted a school-record time of 1:02.27. This is her fourth-consecutive top-9 finish in the event. Her previous best showing was a fourth-place finish last year. Following in 15th place in the event was Marissa Bednarek in 1:05.67. That is the second All-American swim of Bednarek's career.
Michelle Howell kicked off the night for Denison with a seventh-place finish in the 200 butterfly after a time of 2:04.21. That marked Howell's second career top-8 finish in the event. She was the runner-up last year in Texas.
Junior Molly Willingham picked up two points in the 100 backstroke following a 15th place swim. She touched in 56.72.
Willingham would return along with Campbell Costley, Taylor Johns, and Tully Bradford to finish third in the 800 free relay with a time of 7:24.42. Johns Hopkins won the race in 7:21.49, and Emory was second in 7:21.92.
Saturday's finals will include the 1650 freestyle, the 100 freestyle, the 200 backstroke, the 200 breaststroke, and the 400 freestyle relay.
