GENEVA, Ohio – The Lynn University women's swimming team set a program record with a fifth place finish as the five-day 2024 NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships came to a close, Saturday evening.
The Fighting Knights have improved their overall finishes in each of the last three seasons, earning 14
th place in 2021-22, taking home seventh place a year ago before reestablishing the program record at fifth place this evening.
Lynn finished behind only Nova Southeastern, Colorado Mesa, Drury and UIndy, while the Blue & White finished ahead of 33 schools in the final standings. The Fighting Knights earned 215.5 points, 8.5 points clear of West Florida (207 pts.) and 30.5 points clear of Tampa (185 pts.).
Meanwhile, the Lynn men posted their highest ever team finish at the NCAAs with 29
th place with 14 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Final Day):
- Junior
Laura Dekoninck opened the final day of the championships with runner-up and All-American honors in the 100 freestyle in a school record 49.57
- Graduate
Luna Mertins took home fourth place in the 100 free in 49.64 to garner All-American honors
- Sophomore
Malaika Schneider earned 22
nd in the 100 free prelims at 51.12
- Sophomore
Maurice Grabowski captured eighth place in the 100 freestyle prelims (43:53) on Saturday morning, becoming the first men's swimmer for Lynn to ever capture a spot in the championship finals
- In those finals, Grabowski took eighth place (43.97) and became Lynn's first-ever First Team All-American swimmer on the men's side
- Freshman Maxim Tsyfarov finished in 41
st in the 100 free prelims at 45.24
- Mertins later added 15
th in the 200 back at 2:00.85
- Graduate
Sasha Giourtzidou finished in 13
th place in the consolation final in the 200 breast at 2:18.45
- Sophomore
Kamil Piotrowicz captured 17
th place in the 200 breast prelims at 1:59.33
- The women's 400 freestyle relay team of Schneider, Mertins, Dekoninck and freshman
Lexi Lundell closed the championships in stellar fashion with another All-American award after they finished in sixth place in 3:22.74
