MINNEAPOLIS-- Erik Klontz (Sr./Bethesda, Md./Bethesda-Chevy Chase) turned in the third-fastest 50-yard freestyle time in Division III history and led the Carleton College men’s swimming and diving team to its first relay conference title in 25 years on the first day of the MIAC Swimming and Diving Championships.

Klontz, an All-American in the 50 freestyle a year and the defending conference champion in the event, blazed to a 19.66 time in the morning prelim swim, the third-best time ever posted by a Division III swimmer. He cruised to a 19.83 time in the evening championship finals, winning by almost a full second. (SEE CHART OF TOP DIV III TIMES BELOW)

Klontz played a major role in the Knights’ first relay title since 1988, as his opening leg of 19.81 gave his teammates an early lead, and the Knights held on to post a 1:21.55, only 0.05 seconds off an automatic qualifying time for the national meet but still a NCAA “B” standard and well under last year’s selection time. The time also bettered the previous MIAC overall and championships records by more than a half-second. Joining Klontz on the relay was George McAneny (Fy./Santa Cruz, Calif.), Stephen Grinich (Fy./McMinnville, Ore.) and Mamoru Kanazawa (Sr./Tokyo, Japan/St. Mary's International).

Those two events pushed the Knights into the top three in the team race at 158 points. St. Olaf College leads the event at 212 points, followed by University of St. Thomas at 175. Gustavus Adolphus College sits fourth at 124 points.

The Knights opened the evening session as senior Chris Frills (Chicago/North Lawndale) scored key points in the one-meter diving, finishing sixth with 300.70 points. The Knights followed with the 200 freestyle relay triumph, and then scored big points in the 500-yard freestyle. Evan Harris (So./Lexington, S.C. ), who broke Kanazawa's school record by 0.01 seconds in the prelims (4:41.55), bettered it again by more than one second in the finals, finishing in 4:40.20 to end fifth. Andy Hardt (Sr./Mount Kisco, N.Y./American School London) finished seventh in 4:44.86 and Kanazawa ninth, giving the Knights three of the top nine in the event.

After not placing any swimmers in the 200-yard individual medley championship heat, the 400-yard medley relay quartet of Jonathan Brodie (Fy./Fremont, Calif./Washington), Evan Harris (So./Lexington, S.C./Lexington), Benito Ramirez (Jr./Saint Louis Park, Minn./Minneapolis South) and Grinich placed fourth in 3:30.66 to cap the evening session.

Action in the three-day event continues at the University of Minnesota’s Aquatic Center on Friday and Saturday. Visit the MIAC Swimming and Diving Championships website for live video, live results, and more.

50-Yard Freestyle Top Times in NCAA Division III History

*based on researched results on NCAA.com, NCAA.org, and other sites