SHENANDOAH, Texas – A year ago, the Albion College swimming and diving contingent spent the first night of the NCAA Division III Championships racing go carts as a way to hit the reset button after failing to qualify for evening swims.
This time, a more mature group led by seniors Derek Bosko and Sebastian Tostado and sophomore Nate Kozycki is up to the challenge and Albion is tied for 10th after the first day of competition.
"There's something to be said for a veteran group," Albion Head Coach Jake Taber said. "I don't know if staying in 10th place is sustainable, but we have momentum going into the rest of the meet."
Tostado gained honorable mention All-America status in the 200-yard individual medley, finishing ninth with the fastest time ever achieved Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association swimmer in the event. He completed the evening race in 1:49.14. His preliminary time – 1:49.90 – stood as the Albion record for a few hours.
Kozycki set a personal-best 21.42 split in the butterfly to help Albion qualify for an evening swim in the 200 medley relay. First-year swimmers Alec Nyboer and Tyler Kimbrell joined Kozycki, a sophomore, and senior Derek Bosko in gaining honorable mention All-America status with a 13th place finish. The Britons set a qualifying time of 1:30.76 and an evening time of 1:31.18.
"Nate felt like he had something to prove, and his butterfly splits are a good indication of that," Taber said. "He didn't feel 100 percent at this meet last year."
Albion will go in search of more points Thursday as it sends Kozycki and Nyboer on the blocks for the 100 butterfly and Tostado up for the 200 freestyle. Sophomore divers Jake Burris and Henry Swett will attempt to score in the 1-meter event for the second year in a row. The Britons are also entered in the 200 freestyle and 400 medley events.
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