Scots Swimmers Open Season by Sweeping Knox

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (10/09/2022) — The Monmouth College men's and swimming teams opened their seasons on Saturday with resounding wins over Knox College. The men won 85-15 and the women won 85-30

On the women's side, the Scots won both relays, the 400 freestyle and the 200 Medley. Jaidlyn Sellers (Tremont, Illinois) and Nicole Fitch (Marengo, Illinois) both won two individual races while Sellers was also part of the freestyle relay. Sellers swam 26.32 to win the 50-yard freestyle, just ahead of Lauren Fulscher (Moline, Illinois) at 27:07. She won the 100-yard backstroke by 18 seconds with a time of 1:05.27.

Fitch, a freshman, won the 100-ayard butterfly in 1:09.61 and took the 200 IM in 2:29.69. Fulscher won the 100-yard freestyle in 1:00.70. Kaitlyn Fox (Villa Park, Illinois) won the 200-yard freestyle in 2:23.25 and Lauren Johnson (Pekin, Illinois) won the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:22.80, just ahead of teammate Katie Oberheu (Fort Worth, Texas).

The men's team also won both relays. David Nino (Chicago, Illinois), Tristan Kennon (Flossmoor, Illinois) and Ethan Main (Oneida, Illinois) won two individual races and each swam on one relay. Finn Van Dyke (Lawrence, Kansas) won the 100 -yard freestyle in and also swam on both relays to take three wins.

Kennon won the 50 free in 23:85 ahead of Jaydon Wilbon (Crown Point, Indiana). That was the 1-2 order in the 100-yard butterfly as well with Kennon winning in 1:00.15. Van Dyke won the 100 free in 51.86. Nino won the 100-yard backstroke in 1:01.26 and took the 200 free in 2:01.99.

Main won the 200-yard IM in 2:22.60, two seconds ahead of Camden Schmidt (Washington, Illinois). The freshman then won the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:10.14.

Both teams will be in action again on Friday, Oct. 28 against Augustana College. The meet will start at 5 p.m. at Pepper Natatorium in Monmouth.