Hold onto your goggles, swim fans! A whirlwind of record-breaking performances and stunning displays of athleticism recently unfolded in the world of NCAA Division III swimming. Let's dive in!
Phoenix Fall Classic: A Showcase of Speed
The 2025 Phoenix Fall Classic, held at the University of Chicago, was a hotbed of talent, with one particular performance stealing the show. NYU senior Kaley McIntyre shattered the NCAA Division III record in the 100-yard freestyle, clocking an astounding 48.13 seconds!
This incredible feat surpasses her previous record of 48.53, set when she clinched the national title last year. To put it in perspective, the next fastest time in history belongs to Kendra Stern, who swam a 48.98 back in 2010. What's even more impressive? McIntyre has dipped under the 49-second mark four times!
But here's where it gets controversial... comparing her splits reveals a strategic mastery:
- New D3 Record: 50y - 23.34, 100y - 24.79, Total Time - 48.13
- Old D3 Record: 50y - 23.20, 100y - 25.33, Total Time - 48.53
McIntyre, the 2025 CSCAA Swimmer of the Year, is now setting her sights on a third consecutive 100 free national title. She's also a three-time defending champion in the 50 and 200 free. In fact, she dominated the meet, winning all seven events she entered, including the 50 free (22.66/22.55 in prelims) and 200 free (1:47.11). Her 50 free time is an astonishing 0.55 seconds faster than anyone else in D3 this season. She also posted a blistering 47.90 split in the 400 free relay.
NYU's dominance extended to the team scores, with both the men's and women's teams securing victories, outpacing Wash U.
More D3 Highlights from the Phoenix Fall Classic
- John Butler (UChicago) kicked off his meet with a personal best of 19.98 in the men's 50 free prelims, going even faster in the finals with 19.91.
- The NYU women's 200 free relay team took first place in 1:31.50, the ninth-fastest relay in D3 history. This team featured three swimmers under 23 seconds, including McIntyre's 22.89 lead-off, a 22.65 split by Llew Ladomirak, and a blazing 22.31 anchor split by Maeve O'Donnell.
- Parker Chan (WashU) won the men's 500 free with a personal best of 4:25.05, one of the fastest times ever by a D3 freshman.
- The UChicago men's 400 medley relay won in 3:12.63, nearly 3 seconds ahead of the competition. Notable splits included a 45.94 fly by Cooper Costello and a 42.81 free by John Butler. Costello also narrowly missed the pool record in the 100 fly with a 46.58 in prelims.
- John Butler showcased his versatility, swimming a season-best 1:36.96 in the 200 free prelims and then obliterating his personal best in the finals with a 1:35.21. This broke the UChicago school record and made him the second-fastest swimmer in D3 history. He also broke the UChicago school record in the 100 free with a 43.46 in prelims and 43.17 in finals, becoming the seventh-fastest performer in D3 history.
- The UChicago men's 800 free relay clocked a time of 6:30.06, the eighth-fastest in D3 history, with John Butler anchoring in 1:35.53.
- The NYU men's 200 medley relay won in 1:27.65, with Keith McQuaid's 21.63 backstroke split being the ninth-fastest in D3 history.
- Max Nechydyuk (NYU) swam a 3:49.12 in the men's 400 IM, just off his NCAA finish last year.
- In the women's 100 back, NYU went 1-2, with Nicole Ranile winning in a season-best 54.70 and Maeve O'Donnell posting a huge personal best of 54.75, becoming one of the fastest D3 freshmen ever.
- Keith McQuaid (NYU) won the men's 100 back in 47.10, the top time in D3 this season, and later swam a personal best of 1:44.47 in the 200 back, also ranking #1 in D3.
2025 Total Performance Invite: More Records Fall
This meet featured top D3 programs like Kenyon and Carnegie Mellon, along with a strong D2 team from West Chester University.
And this is the part most people miss...
- Three teams broke the 1:20 barrier in the same mid-season meet: Kenyon (1:19.83), SUNY Geneseo (1:19.63), and Carnegie Mellon (1:18.54). CMU's time is the fourth-fastest in school history, with all four swimmers under 20 seconds, including Matt Peitler's 19.03 split.
- Djordje Dragojlovic (Kenyon) achieved a personal best of 19.53 in the 50 free, under the NCAA A cut of 19.56, tying for 7th all-time in D3. He also swam a best time of 1:36.00 in the 200 free, breaking a legendary school record from 1988. He's now the 9th-fastest in NCAA D3 history. He also won the 100 free in 43.13, tying for 4th fastest in D3 history. He matched that time leading off Kenyon's 400 free relay, as they broke their own school record in 2:54.84.
- Kenyon won the 400 medley relay in 3:13.40, with Dragojlovic's 42.4 anchor split.
- Carnegie Mellon won the 200 medley relay in a school record of 1:26.72, the fastest D3 time of the year, tying for 6th-best in D3 history.
- Carnegie Mellon also won the 800 free relay in 6:32.70, including a school record of 1:36.04 on the leadoff from Matt Peitler. That's the 10th-fastest D3 time ever. He also swam 43.08 in prelims of the 100 free, now the third-fastest time in D3 history, only 0.20 seconds away from the D3 record set in March.
- In the women's 100 breast prelims, Kelsey Van Eldik (Kenyon) swam the fastest time in the country in 1:01.08, a best time and the 10th-fastest D3 performer in history.
What do you think? Were you impressed by these performances? Do you think McIntyre will continue to dominate? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
