Zach Ondrej from Northern Michigan University comfortably won the 2021 CSCAA National Collegiate Open Water Swimming Championship in Lone Star Lake in Lawrence, Kansas on September 17th, comfortably winning around the 5 km loop course.
Ondrej’s time of 56:10.6 around the 5 km course was a good 4+ minutes ahead of the second- and third-place finishers, Enzo Kihara in 1:00:13.20 and Samuel Jyawook in 1:00:16.20. Ondrej, along with the top 5 finishers, received automatic invitations to the USA Swimming 5K Open Water Championships in 2022. Ondrej will look forward to improving his NCAA Division II runner-up finish in the 1650-yard freestyle this coming year too.
Top 10 Men’s Results:
1. Zach Ondrej (Northern Michigan University) 56:10.60
2. Enzo Kihara (Emmanuel College) 1:00:13.20
3. Samuel Jyawook (UMBC) 1:00:16.20
4. Denilson Cyprianos (Carson Newman) 1:00:57.30
5. Amadausz Kielczewski (Emmanuel College) 1:00:59.40
6. Jasper Pullinen (Northern Michigan University) 1:01:07.30
7. Kodee Eads (Carson Newman) 1:01:52.00
8. Thibault Auger (Northern Michigan University) 1:01:57.60
9. Matthew Filsinger (Ashland) 1:02:01.40
10. Franci Aleski (Ashland) 1:02:04.30
Men’s Team Standings:
1. Northern Michigan 15 (1, 6, 8)
2. Emmanuel College 20 (2, 5, 13)
3. Carson-Newman 22 (4, 7, 11)
4. Ashland University 44 (9, 10, 25)
5. Southern Illinois 47 (12, 15, 20)
6. Oklahoma Christian 59 (16, 21, 22)
7. Milligan 61 (14, 23, 24)