Michael Schultz finishes 23rd in 500-yard freestyle on Day 1 of NCAA III Swimming & Diving Championships

Michael Schultz

By Tim Glon

| Championships Site | Day 2 Recap |

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Ohio Northern sophomore Michael Schultz finished 23rd in the 500-yard freestyle on Day 1 of the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships Wednesday morning at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.

Schultz finished fifth in his heat and 23rd out of 41 swimmers overall in 4:33.60.

He qualified with the ninth-fastest time in the nation this year with an ONU-record effort of 4:28.83. 

Schultz will compete in the 200-yard free on Thursday and in the 1650 free on Saturday.

He enters the meet as the No. 21 seed in the 200 free, qualifying in 1:40.79, and is the No. 9 seed in the 1650 free with a qualifying effort of 15:45.82.

He is the ONU records holder and 2-time Ohio Athletic Conference champion in all three events.

This is Schultz's second appearance at the NCAA Championships. As a freshman last year, Schultz finished 31st in the 200 free in 4:43.16, was 32nd in the 200 free in 1:43.49 and was 20th in the 1650 free in 16:05.29.

Senior George Chesney will be making his first appearance at the NCAA III Championships on Thursday as he competes in the 1-meter diving competition. He will also compete in the 3-meter diving on Saturday.

Chesney is a two-time OAC Champion in the 3-meter diving and is a two-time All-OAC honoree with a runner-up finishes in the 1-meter diving each of the last two years. He is the school record holder in the 1-meter diving with a score of 466.50 points for 11 dives.