GREENSBORO, NC - On a busy day for the Tufts men's swimming & diving team at the 2016 NCAA Championships, senior tri-captain Michael Winget, junior diver Matt Rohrer and freshman Kingsley Bowen each posted All-American performances (top eight) on Friday.
Winget swam fourth in the 100 backstroke final with a school-record time of 48.76 seconds. He topped last year's fifth-place finish in the 200 back as the best Tufts finish at the NCAA meet in 30 years.
Earlier in the day, Bowen had tied Winget's previous school record of 49.13 seconds during the NCAA 100 back preliminaries to finish sixth. Winget was right behind him in the prelims with a 49.26 mark for seventh. In the final Friday night, Winget's 48.76 time set a new school mark while Bowen placed eighth in a 49.13 time that was identical to his prelims mark.
Both Jumbos improved on their seeds entering the NCAA 100 back. Winget was ranked eighth with a 49.13 time and Bowen was #15 in the event with a 49.55 season best.
Also on Friday, Rohrer finished seventh in one-meter diving to earn his second All-American finish of the week. After placing fifth in Friday's one-meter preliminaries (450.45), he scored better in the final (460.90), but slipped to seventh place. On Wednesday, Rohrer had started NCAA action for Tufts by placing seventh in the three-meter diving event (479.85).
Behind Friday's All-American efforts, Tufts jumped to 12th place in team scoring with 66 points. They are third among New England teams.
Senior Anthony DeBenedetto was also in action on Friday in the 200 butterfly. His 1:51.60 time finished 22nd overall.
Winget now has two All-American times and top-five finishes in his NCAA career. On Thursday, he achieved his third honorable mention All-American performance (ninth through 16th) by finishing ninth in the 100 butterfly. He will swim in the 200 backstroke to finish his outstanding Jumbo career on Saturday.
Rohrer is now a four-time All-American and two-time honorable mention All-American. He was sixth in three-meter and eighth in one-meter at the 2015 NCAA meet. In 2014, he placed 10th in both events.
Bowen swam his first All-American time after earning honorable mention honors for 10th place in the 100 fly on Thursday.
Bowen and DeBenedetto will join Winget in the 200 backstroke as the NCAA meet concludes on Saturday.
#
