Official NCAA Announcement
INDIANAPOLIS – The 2021 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships qualifiers were announced over the weekend as winter sports in Division II continue to get their national events back from a year ago when the COVID pandemic shut things down.
Student-athletes had to make it count with just one day of completed and counted events at the 2020 NCAA meet in Geneva, Ohio, that was hosted by Lake Erie at the SPIRE Institute.
Even though all participating student-athletes earned the distinction of All-American status, the number of incomplete events following prelims translated to understandable frustration of unfinished business.
This year represents a shot at redemption for Findlay’s Tim Stollings and Dalton Shevlin down in Birmingham, Ala., March 17-20 at the Crossplex.
Findlay has represented the Great Midwest Athletic Conference very well at the NCAA level since the sport’s inception and collaboration with the Mountain East Conference. The Oilers have had some dominant names and teams in the pool including the likes Janko Radmanovic, Hanna Cederholm, Amanda Stiegal, Ben Rath and more.
Like many sports around the league this academic year, training and competition have been interrupted with multiple quarantines. The team’s desired training model has worked through multiple obstacles to get as much of a regular season completed as possible.
Shevlin and Tiffin’s former Nicholas Jefferson remain the only conference divers to meet the tough qualification standards for nationals. Shevlin is a team captain and relied upon by head coach Andrew Makepeace to help set the tone for practice while thriving under a first-year diving coach with the program, Bethany Glick.
Finding a facility with 1 meter and 3-meter boards to accommodate Shevlin’s offseason regimen was a challenge that many might not realize.
“Dalton takes on some serious, and at times, strenuous leadership responsibilities but does it with a smile and chipper attitude,” raved Makepeace. “He has risen to new heights, breaking one of our oldest school records, and hopefully more to follow. The refinement and small details which make up each dive are the biggest area Dalton has grown. I am confident he will make his presence known at NCAA’s this year and complete his career on a high note.”
For the sophomore Stollings, a five-event NCAA Qualifier and reigning Great Midwest/Mountain East Swimmer & Freshman of the Meet, the sky is the limit. He drew the attention of Swimswam.com with NCAA Division II’s 6th-fastest 100 yard butterfly time of 46.02 second and at the time, was 13th best in the NCAA for the current season, regardless of division.
Stollings is the top seed going into the national meet in that event and additionally qualified in the 50 freestyle (19.73) and 100 backstroke (47.20). Last year, he was also part of two different nationally-qualified relay groups.
“Tim is a lightning rod in the water; he’s the swimming equivalent of a gym rat, loves training and does it with a great attitude,” said Makepeace. “Tim has put in the work on smaller details to hone his speed and make minor tweaks to drop time. Those things have and will continue to pay off. He has some of the fastest times in the nation this season in Division II, but he did that at our pool here in Findlay at a dual meet -- all on the same day. Give him a fast pool like they have down in Birmingham at the Crossplex, who knows how much faster he will swim! I cannot wait to see him race some of the best in the nation, hopefully they’ll be pursuing him. Tim has only scratched the surface of his talent, but he should realize his ultimate potential through the passion and dedication he’s shown to chasing greatness.”
Stollings is a can’t miss opportunity to watch in any event if you are a fan. When people refer to an athlete ‘worth the price of admission,’ the Prichard, WV, product fits the bill.
"Ultimately, I’m proud of them for handling the challenges this season has presented. That has been a testament to their attitude," he added. "They couldn’t do it alone, though, we have a great group of men and women who have helped push them too. That cannot be understated, without the strength and unity of our student-athletes, who knows how this season could’ve played out."
Following the conclusion of nationals, the 2021 Great Midwest/Mountain East Championships are scheduled to be held in Canton at the C.T. Branin Natatorium from March 30-April 2.