GRANVILLE, Ohio (February 16, 2024) – Wins by Emma Pritchett, Emily Harris and the 200 freestyle relay squad highlighted day three of the 2024 North Coast Athletic Conference Women's Swimming & Diving Championship for the Big Red. Through 13 of 21 events, Denison University sits in first place with 1,286.5 points, just 18 points in front of Kenyon College in second place with 1,268.5 points.

With a total of five lead changes on day three, the lead changed hands after every event on Friday until the final two events of the day.

Pritchett won the conference title in the 100 butterfly for the second year in a row, this time swimming an NCAA Division III National "B" cut time of 54.90 seconds and leading a group of Big Red swimmers that swept the top-four spots in the event. Pritchett was followed by Maja Palmroos (55.22) in second and Phoebe Ferguson (55.34) in third, both with National "B" cut times, while Amber Croonquist (56.28) rounded out the top-four.

That gave Denison an 815.5-767.5 lead over Kenyon following the first event of the night, marking the first lead change of the day, but then after Esme Wright (4:22.57) and Tara Witkowski (4:23.26) finished back-to-back in second and third place with a pair of "B" cuts in the 400 IM, the Owls retook the lead by six points (908.5-902.5) after putting five swimmers into the A final.

The Big Red then took the lead back (1,043.5-995.5) after the 200 freestyle as Harris picked up the win with a time of 1:49.57 and was followed by Annie Pfeufer (1:50.40) in fourth, Taryn Wisner (1:51.42) in fifth and Quinn Brown (1:51.71) in sixth. In addition to putting four swimmers into the top-six, all with "B" cuts, Denison also saw Natalie English go on to win the B final (10th overall) with a time of 1:54.59.

The lead continued to swing back-and-forth, this time in Kenyon's favor (1,115.5-1103.5) after the Owls finished with four of the top-six swimmers in the 100 breaststroke. For Denison, Drue Thielking was the runner-up with a "B" cut time of 1:01.97 while Riley Tofflemire was fourth with a "B" cut herself at 1:02.67.

Denison took back the lead by 10 points (1,216.5-1,206.5) entering the lone relay of the night after Grace Kadlecik (56.25), Jassy Park (56.30) and Claire Moody (57.79) finished in order between third place and fifth place in the 100 backstroke. The times for Kadlecik and Park with both good for a "B" cut as well.

Lastly, in the 200 freestyle relay, Croonquist, Kadlecik, English and Ferguson brought home Denison's third win of the day with a "B" cut time of 1:33.01, just .15 seconds in front of Kenyon at 1:33.16.

The 2024 NCAC Championship will close out on Saturday with eight events. Preliminaries begin at 9:30 a.m. followed by finals at 6 p.m. The Big Red return to the water for finals in the 1,650 freestyle, 100 IM, 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, 3-meter diving and the 400 freestyle relay. The Denison women are seeking their 12th conference championship overall and second in a row.
 
NCAC Championships:
Emma Pritchett – 100 butterfly – 54.90
Emily Harris – 200 freestyle – 1:49.57
Amber Croonquist, Grace Kadlecik, Natalie English, Phoebe Ferguson – 200 freestyle relay – 1:33.01
 
All-NCAC Performances (Top-3):
Emma Pritchett – first place in the 100 butterfly – 54.90
Maja Palmroos – second place in the 100 butterfly – 55.22
Phoebe Ferguson – third place in the 100 butterfly – 55.34
Esme Wright – second place in the 400 IM – 4:22.57
Tara Witkowski – third place in the 400 IM – 4:23.26
Emily Harris – first place in the 200 freestyle – 1:49.57
Drue Thielking – second place in the 100 breaststroke – 1:01.97
Grace Kadlecik – third place in the 100 backstroke – 56.25
Amber Croonquist, Grace Kadlecik, Natalie English, Phoebe Ferguson – first place in the 200 freestyle relay – 1:33.01
 
NCAA Division III National "B" cuts:
Emma Pritchett – 100 butterfly finals – 54.90
Emma Pritchett – 100 butterfly prelims – 55.03
Maja Palmroos – 100 butterfly finals – 55.22
Maja Palmroos – 100 butterfly prelims – 55.42
Phoebe Ferguson – 100 butterfly finals – 55.34
Phoebe Ferguson – 100 butterfly prelims – 55.36
Esme Wright – 400 IM finals – 4:22.57
Esme Wright – 400 IM prelims – 4:26.77
Tara Witkowski – 400 IM finals – 4:23.26
Tara Witkowski – 400 IM prelims – 4:26.90
Emily Harris – 200 freestyle finals – 1:49.57
Emily Harris – 200 freestyle prelims – 1:49.68
Annie Pfeufer – 200 freestyle finals – 1:50.40
Annie Pfeufer – 200 freestyle prelims – 1:50.94
Taryn Wisner – 200 freestyle finals – 1:51.42
Taryn Wisner – 200 freestyle prelims – 1:51.47
Quinn Brown – 200 freestyle finals – 1:51.71
Quinn Brown – 200 freestyle prelims – 1:50.92
Drue Thielking – 100 breaststroke finals – 1:01.97
Drue Thielking – 100 breaststroke prelims – 1:02.91
Riley Tofflemire – 100 breaststroke finals – 1:02.67
Riley Tofflemire – 100 breaststroke prelims – 1:03.00
Grace Kadlecik – 100 backstroke finals – 56.25
Grace Kadlecik – 100 backstroke prelims – 55.95
Jassy Park – 100 backstroke finals – 56.30
Jassy Park – 100 backstroke prelims – 55.76
Amber Croonquist, Grace Kadlecik, Natalie English, Phoebe Ferguson – 200 freestyle relay – 1:33.01

Day Three Results