GRANVILLE, Ohio (December 4, 2021) – The No. 3 Denison University women's swimming & diving team won the Third Annual Denison Invitational with a three-day team total of 2,246 points. The Big Red won the event by 322 points over NCAA Division I Eastern Michigan University in second place with 1,924 points while No. 2 Emory University checked in third with 1,858 points, followed by No. 13 Washington University-St. Louis with 1,129 points.

The Big Red capped off an outstanding weekend with 12 more NCAA Division III National "B" cuts during the finals on Saturday.

In the women's 3-meter dive, Kerstyn Johnson finished fifth with a National "B" cut of 412.60 points.

In the 1650 freestyle, Denison had four National "B" cuts as Alix O'Brien (16:47.31) finished in second place, Taryn Wisner (16:48.85) was third, Tara Witkowski (17:10.42) was fourth and Nikki Barnas (17:23.29) was sixth.

In the 200 backstroke, Claire Moody finished sixth with a time of 2:05.57 while Grace Kacmarek won the B finals and was 10th overall with a time of 2:06.12.

Tara Culibrk (51.30 seconds) and Annalise Cheshire (51.51) both earned National "B" cuts in the 100 freestyle while finishing in fourth and eighth place, respectively.

Esme Wright (2:19.95) and Devin Javens (2:20.49) both earned National "B" cuts in the 200 breaststroke while finishing in third and fifth place, respectively.

Then, in the final individual swimming event of the entire invitational, the 200 butterfly, Emma Pritchett finished fifth with a National "B" cut time of 2:03.49.

The meet was wrapped up by a pair of top-four performances and National "B" cuts in the 400 freestyle relay as Denison's "A" group of Wright, Culibrk, Grace Kadlecik and Cheshire was second with a time of 3:25.60 and the "B" team of Avery Vogen, Natalie English, Amber Croonquist and Annie Pfeufer was fourth with a time of 3:28.21.

In all, Denison racked up 49 NCAA Division III National "B" cuts by 16 different swimmers and seven relay groups throughout the meet.

The Big Red have now won the Denison Invitational in two of the three years they have hosted it after winning the first one back in 2018.

NCAA Division III National "B" cuts:
Kerstyn Johnson – 3-meter diving finals – 412.60
Kerstyn Johnson – 3-meter diving prelims – 412.60
Alix O'Brien – 1650 freestyle – 16:47.31
Taryn Wisner – 1650 freestyle – 16:48.85
Tara Witkowski – 1650 freestyle – 17:10.42
Nikki Barnas – 1650 freestyle – 17:23.29
Claire Moody – 200 backstroke prelims – 2:02.66
Tara Culibrk – 100 freestyle finals – 51.30
Tara Culibrk – 100 freestyle prelims – 51.05
Annalise Cheshire – 100 freestyle finals – 51.51
Esme Wright – 200 breaststroke finals – 2:19.95
Esme Wright – 200 breaststroke prelims – 2:20.33
Devin Javens – 200 breaststroke finals – 2:20.49
Devin Javens – 200 breaststroke prelims – 2:21.88
Emma Pritchett – 200 butterfly finals – 2:03.49
Emma Pritchett – 200 butterfly prelims – 2:05.00
Esme Wright, Tara Culibrk, Grace Kadlecik and Annalise Cheshire – 400 freestyle relay – 3:25.60
Avery Vogen, Natalie English, Amber Croonquist and Annie Pfeufer – 400 freestyle relay –3:28.21
 
Day 3 Results
Final Results