Barton Swimming caps historic season; earning runner-up finishes at nationals #GoBarton

A pair of national runner-up trophies were accomplished in Fort Pierce, Florida, this past weekend as the Barton Community College swimming teams put the nation on notice at the NJCAA National Swimming & Diving Championships. In just their third year of existence, the Cougars performed like veterans earning two individual and one relay national championship.

The Barton men pieced together a resilient effort in the lanes tallying 811.5 points the most points scored by a runner-up team since Iowa Lakes accounted for 947 points in 2015. Over the course of the four day event, the Barton men accounted for sixteen school records, sixty new personal bests, while placing forty-two inside the top-eight in the twenty-five event field.

Just like the Barton men, the Lady Cougars finished with the most points scored by a runner-up squad since 2015 finishing with 623 points mustering six individual runner-up performances. The Lady Cougars were one shy of matching their men counterparts with school records setting fifteen program bests to go along with forty-eight personal bests and placing thirty inside the top-eight in the twenty-five event course.

Host school Indian River Community College continued their dominance at the top of the team standings, as the men extended the nation's longest winning streak of any sport earning their 46th consecutive crown scoring 1112.5 points while the women won all twenty-five events in gliding to their 38th consecutive title scoring 1262 points.

Jumping three spots from last year's finish on both sides, head coach Jonathan Reeder was named the Men's Coach of the Year at the conclusion of the meet.

Photo: Barton Head Coach Jonathan Reeder receiving Men's Coach of the Year Award at the 2020 NJCAA National Swimming & Diving Championships

Men's Highlights
Freshman Ryan Downing etched his name into the Barton history books during Wednesday's day one action becoming Barton men's first individual national champion in the 50 yard breaststroke touching the wall with the fastest time of 25.12 setting a program best.

Downing pieced together a team high sixty-five points during the week with a runner-up finish 100 IM (50.40), fourth 100 breaststroke (55.89), sixth 100 freestyle (47.36), a member of four relays including the Cougars' national championship relay (200 medley), a runner-up showing (200 freestyle), third (400 medley), and fifth (400 freestyle).

Matching Downing's strong performance, fellow freshman Aidan Gantenbein became the second Cougar to attain an individual crown in Thursday's 50 backstroke tying his previous school record (23.17). Gantenbein finished tied for fourth best in the team point total recording fifty-two points earning fifth 100 backstroke (50.95), seventh 200 backstroke (1:57.95), eleventh 200 IM (1:55.99).

Looking to secure the programs third national championship in as many days, the Cougars waited until the closing event in Friday's evening session. National champion duo of Downing and Gantenbein propelled the Cougars out front early in the 200 medley relay before giving way to David Garcia and Carlon McClerkin in the final two legs as the four edged Southwest Oregon Community College by .02 tenths earning the programs first ever relay championship in school record time (1:31.04).

Four other Cougars reached over the fifty-point plateau Christopher Sprenger (59 points), Kacper Mayerberg (54 points), Christian Taylor (52 points), and Nikolas Ioannides (50 points)

Women's Highlights
Sophomore McKayla Siemiller paced the Cougars individually notching a team high sixty-three points matching her total point tally from a season ago. Looking to repeat as champion in the 50 backstroke from a year ago, the sophomore fell .32 seconds short producing a runner-up showing clocking a program best (24.14).

Siemiller locked up three more podium trips individually earning runner-up in the 50 backstroke (26.66), fifth 100 backstroke (58.98), and fourth 100 freestyle (53.77).

First year swimmer Fanny Courbot fell a point shy of Siemiller's team best concluding with sixty-two points capturing a trio of silver medals in the 50 breaststroke, 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke while adding an eighth place showing in the 200 freestyle. The freshman broke her previous school record in the 50 breaststroke (29.99), tying her program best in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.16).

Swimming in her final Cougar meet, sophomore Elizabeth Spitz tallied the third most points individually with fifty-six earning the final runner-up finish for the Lady Cougars setting a new program best (59.38) in the 100 IM.

Excelling in all five relay events, the Lady Cougars notched their highest finish in the 200 freestyle as Spitz, Sierra Williams, Cassandre Zenon and Siemiller clocked a program best (1:37.91) earning the seventh runner-up finish. Barton would conclude the final four relays with a trio of bronze medals in the 400 medley (3:58.94), 200 medley (1:47.49), 400 freestyle (3:37.49), and fifth place performance in the 800 freestyle (8:05.51).

Zenon and Lizbeth Candanedo secured the fourth and fifth best point totals individually earning forty-seven and forty-five respectively.

Complete Women Result's *PB denotes Personal Best
Kaci Bentley: 22 points
1000 Freestyle: 12th (PB 11:52.76 *Program 3rd best), 100 Butterfly: 14th (1:07.18, *PB 1:06.55, Program 3rd best), 200 Butterfly: 12th (2:36.34, *PB 2:36.23 in prelims, Program 3rd best), 1650 Freestyle: 9th (PB 19:58.26, *Program 2nd best)
Lizbeth Candanedo: 18 points
200 IM: 13th (2:21.51, *PB 2:21.41 in prelims, Program 2nd best), 100 Butterfly: 6th (58.76, *PB 58.20 in prelims, Program Record), 200 Butterfly: 7th (2:17.22, *PB 2:14.77 in prelims, Program Record), 50 Butterfly: 3rd (PB 26.14, *Program Record)
Sara Childs: 34 points
50 Freestyle: 10th (26.07, *PB 25.95 in prelims, Program 5th best), 50 Backstroke: 9th (PB 28.52 *Program 4th best), 100 Backstroke: 8th (1:02.50 *PB 1:02.12, Program 3rd best), 200 Backstroke: 10th (PB 2:20.40, Program 3rd best)
Fanny Courbot: 62 points
50 Breaststroke: 2nd (PB 29.99 *Program Record), 200 Freestyle: 8th (2:00.79), 100 Breaststroke: 2nd (T-PB 1:05.16 *Ties her Program Record), 200 Breaststroke: 2nd (PB 2:23.18 *Program Record)
Abigail Frye: 10 points
200 IM: 17th (2:32.53), 50 Backstroke: 15th (30.81), 100 Backstroke: 13th (1:06.91), 200 Backstroke: 13th (2:27.75 *2:27.41 in Prelims)
Selena Howard: 26 points
50 Backstroke: 8th (PB 28.78 *Program 3rd best), 200 Freestyle: 12th (PB 2:08.25 *Program 8th best), 500 Freestyle: 13th (PB 5:47.14 *Program 4th best), 100 Freestyle: 11th (57.92 *PB 57.61 in Prelims, Program 9th best)
Caroline Noble: 17 points
1000 Freestyle: 13th (PB 11:58.08 *Program 4th best), 200 Freestyle: 13th (PB 2:10.10 *Program 9th best), 500 Freestyle: 15th (5:47.91 *PB 5:47.18 in Prelims, Program 5th best), 1650 Freestyle: 10th (PB 20:03.64 *Program 3rd best)
Paola Noriega-Rivera: 15 points
1000 Freestyle: 15th (PB 12:19.96 *Program 6th best), 200 Freestyle: 11th (PB 2:08.21 *Program 7th best), 500 Freestyle: 16th (5:58.97 *PB 5:51.92 in Prelims, Program 7th best), 1650 Freestyle: 11th (PB 20:26.03 *Program 4th best)
Elizabeth Schrock: 32 points
50 Breaststroke: 8th (31.25, *PB 30.85 in Prelims, Program 3rd best), 200 Freestyle: 9th (PB 2:00.73, *Program 2nd best), 100 Breaststroke: 7th (1:07.47, *PB 1:05.98 in Prelims, Program 3rd best), 200 Breaststroke: DQ, (PB 2:30.48 in Prelims, *Program 3rd best)
McKayla Siemiller: 63 points
50 Freestyle: 2nd (PB 24.14, *Program Record), 50 Backstroke: 2nd (26.66), 100 Backstroke: 5th (PB 58.98 *Program Record), 100 Freestyle: 4th (PB 53.77 *Program 2nd best)
Elizabeth Spitz: 56 points
50 Breaststroke: 4th (30.35 *PB 30.24 Prelims), 100 IM: 2nd (PB 59.38 *Program Record), 100 Breaststroke: 4th (PB 1:05.91 *Program 2nd best), 200 Breaststroke: 9th (PB 2:28.09 *Program 2nd best)
Sierra Williams: 36 points
1000 Freestyle: 11th (PB 11:41.48 *Program 2nd best), 200 Freestyle: 7th (PB 2:00.76 *Program 4th best), 500 Freestyle: 12th (5:36.20 *PB 5:34.49 in Prelims, Program 2nd best), 100 Freestyle: 6th (55.25 *PB 55.06 in Prelims, Program 6th best)
Cassandre Zenon: 47 points
200 IM: 12th (PB 2:21.03 *Program Record), 100 Butterfly: 7th (59.97 *PB 59.88 in Prelims, Program 2nd best), 100 IM: 4th (PB 1:02.54 *Program 3rd best), 50 Butterfly: 4th (PB 26.30 *Program 2nd best)
Women's Relay Results
800 Freestyle Relay (Spitz, Williams, Schrock, Courbot)
   5th (8:05.51 *Program Record)
200 Freestyle Relay (Spitz, Williams, Zenon, Siemiller)
   2nd (1:37.91 *Program Record)
400 Medley Relay (Siemiller, Courbot, Candanedo, Schrock)
   3rd (3:58.94 *Program Record)
200 Medley Relay (Siemiller, Courbot, Zenon, Spitz)
   3rd (1:47.49 *Program Record)
400 Freestyle Relay (Spitz, Williams, Schrock, Siemiller)
   3rd (3:37.49 *Program Record)
Complete Men Results *PB denotes Personal Best
Simon Botton: 23 points
50 Breaststroke: 7th (PB 26.72 *Program 5th best), 100 IM: 10th (PB 54.45 *Program 6th best), 100 Breaststroke: 11th (1:00.34 *PB 59.33 in Prelims, Program 5th best), 200 Breaststroke: 15th (2:14.84)
Ryan Downing: 65 points
50 Breaststroke: 1st (PB 25.12 *Program Record), 100 IM: 2nd (PB 50.40 *Program Record), 100 Breaststroke: 4th (PB 55.89 *Program Record), 100 Freestyle: 6th (47.36 *PB 46.93 in Prelims, Program 3rd best)
Aidan Gantenbein: 52 points
200 IM: 11th (1:55.99 *PB 1:55.88 in Prelims, Program 2nd best), 50 Backstroke: 1st (PB 23.17 *Program Record), 100 Backstroke: 5th (50.95), 200 Backstroke: 7th (1:57.95 *PB 1:54.31 in Prelims, Program Record)
David Garcia: 29.5 points
50 Freestyle: 8th (21.34 *21.00 in Prelims), 100 Butterfly: 14th (PB 52.40 *Program 6th fastest), 50 Butterfly: 7th (23.10 *PB 23.04 in Prelims, *Program 3rd best), 100 Freestyle: 13th (48.14 *47.41 in Prelims)
Kamren Hall: 19 points
1000 Freestyle: 13th (PB 10:06.99 *Program 3rd best), 400 IM: 11th (4:20.03 *4:17.69 in Prelims), 500 Freestyle: 14th (4:57.47 *PB 4:55.09 in Prelims, Program 5th best), 1650 Freestyle: 11th (PB 16:56.39 *Program 11th best)
Albert Kasprzyk: 36 points
50 Freestyle: 16th (PB 21.93 *Program 7th best), 100 Butterfly: 8th (50.45 *PB 50.20 in Prelims, Program Record), 200 Butterfly: 4th (1:54.12), 50 Butterfly: 9th (PB 23.00 *Program 2nd best)
Nikolas Ioannides: 50 points
1000 Freestyle: 8th (PB 9:46.01 *Program 2nd best), 200 Freestyle: 9th (PB 1:45.20 *Program 3rd best), 500 Freestyle: 5th (PB 4:41.23 *Program Record), 1650 Freestyle: 3rd (PB 16:06.93 *Program Record)
Mateusz Lukaszczyk: 34 points
50 Backstroke: 7th (PB 23.97 *Program 2nd best), 100 Butterfly: 11th (51.73), 100 Backstroke: 13th (53.46 *52.08 in Prelims), 200 Backstroke: 8th (1:59.64 *1:56.33 in Prelims)
Kacper Mayerberg: 54 points
1000 Freestyle: 7th (PB 9:45.60 *Program Record), 400 IM: 7th (4:10.82), 200 Butterfly: 2nd (PB 1:53.37 *Program Record), 1650 Freestyle: 6th (PB 16:24.16 *Program 2nd best)
Carlon McClerkin: 35 points
50 Freestyle: 5th (PB 21.09 *Program 5th best), 200 Freestyle: 12th (1:47.39 *PB 1:47.12 in Prelims, Program Record), 50 Butterfly: 10th (PB 23.90 *Program 5th best), 100 Freestyle: 9th (47.44 *47.38 in Prelims)
Leonard-Andrei Olaru: 16 points
1000 Freestyle: 16th (PB 10:17.77 *Program 4th best), 200 Freestyle: 13th (1:48.93 *PB 1:47.83 in Prelims, Program 7th best), 200 Butterfly: 8th (1:59.35), 100 Freestyle: 21st (PB 49.42)
Logan Overlees: 29 points
200 IM: 14th (1:58.75 *PB 1:58.49 in Prelims, Program 6th best), 50 Backstroke: 9th (PB 24.34 *Program 3rd best), 100 IM: 7th (PB 53.67 *Program 3rd best), 200 Backstroke: 12th (PB 1:59.22 *Program 4th best)
Isaac Panzer: 9 points
50 Freestyle: 15th (21.90), 50 Backstroke: 12th (25.75 *25.38 in Prelims), 100 Backstroke: 19th (57.69), 100 Freestyle: 15th (48.53 *PB 48.26 in Prelims, Program 6th best)
Kenneth Ruiz: 16 points
50 Breaststroke: 13th (PB 28.62 *Program 8th best), 100 Butterfly: 18th (53.43), 200 Butterfly: 9th (PB 2:01.34 *Program 8th best), 50 Butterfly: 14th (24.39 *PB 23.99 in Prelims, Program 6th best)
Rory Smith: 35 points
50 Breaststroke: 5th (26.56 *PB 26.54 in Prelims, Program 3rd best), 100 IM: 13th (PB 55.35 *Program 7th best), 100 Breaststroke: 8th (58.66 *PB 56.99 in Prelims, Program 3rd best), 200 Breaststroke: 11th (PB 2:10.53 *Program 4th best)
Christopher Sprenger: 59 points
200 IM: 4th (PB 1:51.99 *Program Record), 400 IM: 2nd (PB 4:01.94 *Program Record), 100 Breaststroke: 6th (56.43), 200 Breaststroke: 5th (2:04.11)
Christian Taylor: 52 points
50 Breaststroke: 6th (PB 26.63 *Program 4th best), 200 Freestyle: 4th (PB 1:43.22 *Program Record), 500 Freestyle: 6th (PB 4:45.62 *Program 2nd best), 200 Breaststroke: 8th (2:08.45 *PB 2:07.59, Program 2nd best)
Ergi Veli: 34 points
200 IM: 12th (PB 1:56.80 *Program 3rd best), 400 IM: 6th (PB 4:08.97 *Program 2nd best), 500 Freestyle: (4:54.46 *PB 4:52.15 in Prelims, Program 4th best), 200 Breaststroke: 7th (2:08.05 *PB 2:07.91 in Prelims, Program 3rd best)

Men's Relay Results
800 Freestyle Relay (Sprenger, McClerkin, Gantenbein, Taylor)
   4th (7:02.52 *Program Record)
200 Freestyle Relay (Downing, Overlees, McClerkin, Garcia)
   2nd (1:22.90 *Program Record)
400 Medley Relay (Gantenbein, Downing, Kasprzyk, Garcia)
   3rd (3:21.88 *Program Record)
200 Medley Relay (Gantenbein, Downing, Garcia, McClerkin)
   1st (1:31.04 *Program Record)
400 Freestyle Relay (Downing, Garcia, Gantenbein, McClerkin)
   5th (3:12.32 *Program 3rd best)