By Anne Lepesant on SwimSwam
2019 NCAA Division II Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships
- Dates: Wednesday, March 13 – Saturday, March 16, 2019
- Swimming: prelims 10am, finals 6pm; Diving: 2pm
- Location: IU Natatorium, Indianapolis, Indiana (Eastern Time Zone)
- Defending Champions: Queens (4x); (results)
- Digital Program
- Official Psych Sheet
- Event Schedule
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- Live Results│ Diving Results
- Championship Central
Men’s 100 Yard Butterfly – Finals
- NCAA DII: 44.89 3/12/2015 Matthew Josa, Queens (NC)
- Meet: 44.89 3/12/2015 Matthew Josa, Queens (NC)
Podium:
- Marius Kusch, Queens (NC) – 44.32
- Pasha Semochkin, Drury – 46.64
- Magnus Poulsen, Nova S’eastern – 46.73
Queens senior Marius Kusch became the 5th-fastest performer in the 100-yard butterfly on Thursday night at the 2019 NCAA Division II Championships in Indianapolis. In the 100 fly final, Kusch threw down a 44.32 to win the event with NCAA Division II and meet records. It was the 9th-fastest 100 fly of all time and puts him 5th on the performers list behind Caeleb Dressel (42.80), Joseph Schooling (43.75), Tom Shields (43.84), and Austin Staab (44.18). He moves ahead of Jack Conger (44.35).
Kusch got a terrific start and had strong underwaters, making up for a couple of less-than-perfect walls. He split 20.44/23.88 to win in 44.32, 2.32 seconds faster than runner-up Pasha Semochkin of Drury.
He acknowledged his walls in the post-race interview but focused on the positive by crediting his coaches with creating a culture of excellence at Queens. “Queens is known for excellent butterfly and Polina and I showed that tonight.” [Polina Lapshina of Queens broke the NCAA Division II women’s 100 fly record on Thursday, as well.]
Kusch downed a 2015 NCAA Division II record that was set by Matthew Josa with 44.89. Most of Kusch’s advantage came over the first 50 yards, where he was .52 faster than Josa and .11 faster than Conger.
| Matt Josa, 3/12/2015 | Jack Conger, 2017 NCAA Division I | Marius Kusch, 3/14/2019 | |
| 50 | (r:+0.72) 20.96 | (r:+0.65) 20.55 | (r:+0.69) 20.44 |
| 100 | 44.89 (23.93) | 44.35 (23.80) | 44.32 (23.88) |
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Kusch Becomes 5th-Fastest 100 Flyer of All Time with 44.32