Press release by IUP Athletics
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – IUP junior Paige Mikesell captured the national championship in the 200 yard freestyle on the second day of the 2021 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
It was the highlight of what could be the most decorated single day in IUP swimming program history.
Mikesell’s winning swim set a new IUP record in the event with a time of 1:48.36. Entering the championships seeded 30th of 35 scheduled competitors, Mikesell shaved nearly four seconds off her previous best time of 1:52.02 while swimming in the first of four heats.
Mikesell’s time edged second place Lexie Baker of Queens (N.C.), who touched the wall in 1:48.52.
This marks IUP’s first individual national champion since Jackie Hynson won the 200 butterfly with a Division II record time of 1:58.84 back in 2012.
What makes Mikesell’s performance even more impressive, is that it came after severe weather Wednesday in Alabama altered the schedules of the first two days of the championships. With Wednesday night’s finals moved to Thursday morning, today’s events consisted of timed finals without prelims.
Although Mikesell’s title was the highlight of the day, it wasn’t the only standout performance for the Crimson Hawks.
IUP totaled four All-American performances and set four new school records.
Thursday started with the women’s 200 medley relay team earning honorable mention All-American honors, posting an 11th place finish with a record time of 1:43.28. The order consisted of Paige Mikesell, Rachel Johnson, Claire Mikesell and Iliana Oikonomou.
The same quartet then earned first team All-American honors in the 200 freestyle relay with a record time of 1:34.14. The eighth place finish was the highest by a relay at the national championships in 15 years under head coach Chris Villa.
Mikesell nearly grabbed two national titles in the same night, posting a second place finish in the 100 butterfly earlier in the evening. Entering as the third seed in the event, she broke her own school record with a time of 53.63, just .60 seconds shy of winner Lucia Martelli (53.03) of Delta State.
Also competing individually on Thursday were Rachel Johnson and Luke Mikesell.
Johnson finished 23rd overall in the timed 400 IM finals, touching the wall in 4:28.46. Mikesell, a freshman competing in his first NCAA event, finished 17th in the men’s 200 freestyle with a time of 1:38.40.
Up next
Scheduled to compete Friday are Johnson and Claire Mikesell in the 100 breaststroke, Luke Mikesell in the 500 freestyle, and Paige Mikesell in the 200 butterfly.