Men's Swimming & Diving finishes second at OAC Championships; Junior Nolan Huey wins third OAC crown on final day
By Blake Moore
AKRON — Junior swimmer Nolan Huey (Fort Collins, Colo./Fossil Ridge) claimed his third Ohio Athletic Conference event title in as many days Saturday evening, leading the Ohio Northern men's swimming and diving team on the third and final day of the 2019 OAC Championships at Ocasek Natatorium in Akron.
The Polar Bears claimed team runner-up honors for the third straight season, finishing second in the five-team field with 744.5 team points. Meanwhile, John Carroll claimed its third successive championship title with 985 points.
Over the three-day event, Northern won three of the 20 contested events.
The program also secured 13 All-OAC accolades this weekend. The top three individuals and top two relays in each event received All-OAC recognition.
After sweeping the 200- and 400-yard individual medley competitions, Huey cruised to his third event title with a 1:50.42 touch in the 200 back, successfully defending his 2018 crown. The effort was three seconds faster than the remaining field and nearly broke his own school record, which he set at last season's OAC Championships.
In addition to his three titles, Huey led the Polar Bears with 94 points and seven All-OAC honors in the meet. The Fort Collins, Colo. native now owns nine career OAC event titles and is a 15-time All-OAC honoree.
Meanwhile, sophomore Pat Reed (Charleston, W.Va./Washington) earned his first career All-OAC accolade after taking second in the 200 breast in 2:05.45. He would only trail two-time champion Mason Beck to the wall, giving him runner-up honors.
Huey then joined up with seniors Pete He (Mason) and Justin Chapman (Springboro) and freshman Jeremy Adams (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ann Arbor Pioneer) for a second-place finish in the 400 free relay to cap the evening with All-OAC honors.
In the 100 free event, He and freshman Noah Curry (Oxford/Talawanda) secured fourth- and fifth-place finishes, respectively, to lead seven Ohio Northern placers in the event. He touched the wall in :47.22 while Curry trailed closely at :47.52.
Freshman Justin DeLano (Englewood/Northmont) wound up fourth in the 200 back with a 1:55.28 clocking.
Adams was also among top-five finishers individually, claiming fifth in the 200 breast in 2:06.47.
The Polar Bears now await the release of the NCAA Division III National Championships qualifying list. The top 16 individuals on the national performance list in each event will receive bids to the championship meet, which is slated for March 20-23 in Greensboro, N.C.
Team Standings (Final):
1. John Carroll 985, 2. Ohio Northern 744.5, 3. Mount Union 694.5, 4. Baldwin Wallace 310, 4. Wilmington 273