ONU men win OAC swimming and diving championship
AKRON __The Ohio Northern men's swimming and diving team won its 13th league crown in school history after claiming the 2026 Ohio Athletic Conference Championship title on Saturday.
The Basics
- Record: Ohio Northern (8-0 overall, 4-0 OAC).
- Ohio Northern finished first of five teams with 980.5 points after 20 of 20 events.
- Mount Union was second with 898 points, Wilmington was third with 417.5 points, Baldwin Wallace was fourth with 305 points and Heidelberg was fifth with 191 points.
- Venue: Ocasek Natatorium — Akron, Ohio.
Meet Highlights
- Senior Selby Wilt (Findlay) won the 100-yard free in :45.25, setting a school record of :45.10 in the prelims, to lead the Polar Bears.
- Sophomore Austin Peace (Eaton) won the 200 breast in 2:05.40..
- Sophomore Chase McCluskey (Pickerington/North) won the 200 fly in 1:55.05..
- Freshman Braedon McMillen (Westlake) placed second in the 3-meter diving with 304.90 points to earn All-OAC honors.
- Senior Max Etheridge (Ashley/Hayes) also earned All-Conference accolades with a third-place finish in the 3-meter diving with 299.30 points.
- Senior Simon Bopple (Cleveland/Shaker Heights) was All-Conference in the 200 back, finishing third in 1:55.76.
- Senior Long Huynh (Billings, Mont./West) was All-OAC in the 200 fly, finishing third in 1:55.86.
- Junior Nathan Herbert (Medina/Highland) was third in the 1650 free in 16:48.31 to earn All-OAC honors.
- Wilt and McCluskey joined freshman Kyler Jablonski (Lebanon/Dayton Christian) and senior Nathan Clark (Cleves/Elder) in the 400-yard free relay, placing 2nd in 3:06.26 to earn All OAC Accolades.
Notables
- The meet consisted of 20 events over four days, including 13 individual races, two diving events and five relays.
- Northern's victory is its 13th in men's program history and its first since winning 12 consecutive crowns from 2005-2016.
- McCluskey becomes 12th Polar Bear all time in ONU history to win the 200 fly at the OAC Championships.
- Peace becomes the 11th ONU male to win the 200 breast title. He also moves into fifth place all-time at ONU in the event.
- Wilt is just the third ONU swimmer to win the men's 100 free.
- Junior Evan Miller (Cincinnati/La Salle) was fourth in the 200 back in 1;56.26, moving him into 8th place all-time at ONU in the event.
- Junior Grayson Morgan (Clyde) is now 10th in school history with his 2:08.05 time in the 200 breast.
- The top three individuals and the top two relay teams in each event earn All-Conference honors.
- Northern's 8-0 regular season record is the best in program history.
- Austin Veltman is 44-20 in his seventh season as head coach of the Polar Bears.
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