Through six of 20 events, Denison's men lead the 2016 North Coast Athletic Conference Championship with a score of 653.5. Kenyon trails by 81 points while DePauw University sits in third with a score of 320.
In the first individual swimming final of this year's championship, Stuart Hohm led a group of five Denison swimmers to top-7 finishes in the 500 freestyle. Hohm walked away with his first conference championship after posting a season-best 'B' cut time of 4:29.24. Ben Burdick was the runner-up in 4:31.54 while last year's NCAC Newcomer of the Year, Aaron Saccurato, placed fourth in 4:32.06. Rounding out the championship final by placing sixth and seventh, respectively was Matt Hedman (4:35.95) and Mitch Williams (4:36.66).
Another first-time conference champion was crowned in the 200 IM as Denison junior Jack Lindell broke the conference record with a time of 1:49.21. The previous meet record of 1:49.75 was set last year by teammate, Joe Brunk. This year, Brunk would be the runner-up to Lindell after a season-best time of 1:50.11. In fourth place, Ryan Stevenson touched in 1:51.84 while Blake Kent and Andrew Rich went 9-10 in the standings. Kent would log a time of 1:53.09 while Rich won the B-Final with a time of 1:52.12. In 12th place, Jake Ball touched in 1:54.53.
Five more Denison swimmers would place in the top-12 of the 50 freestyle, led by Ryan Fleming's fourth place time of 20.52. Conrad Wuorinen would follow in fifth-place in 20.63 seconds. Both times were season-best B-cut performances. Max Howes would finish ninth (21.04), Kenny Fox took 11th (21.03) and Brendan Howley (21.14).
The 200 freestyle relay started off the night and the team of Fleming, Wuorinen, Jason Wesseling and Howes hit the wall in 1:21.42 to place second. Howes' anchor split of 20.14 led DU in the relay.
The final event of the night was the men's 400 medley relay. Wesseling, Howley, Rich and Fleming would take home the championship with a time of 3:17.56. That was a season-best time for the DU 400 medley relay. It also marked the first 400 medley relay conference title for a Denison team since 2011.
Denison will return to the Trumbull Aquatics Center on Friday for preliminaries in the 200 medley relay, the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back and the 1-meter dive beginning at 10 a.m. Finals will commence at 6:30 p.m. The championship will conclude on Saturday, Feb. 13.
