SHENANDOAH, TX. 3/20/13 – Keene State College's Drew Ledwith didn't waste any time getting to the podium at the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships at the Conroe Natatorium in Shenandoah Texas.
Competing in his first of four events at the nationals, the senior from Keene, N.H. finished fourth in the 500-yard freestyle race on Wednesday with a time of 4:27.79. "I wasn't to thrilled with my race, but I'll take it," said Ledwith, who earned All-American honors for the fourth time in his career. "It's better than I did last year."
Allen Weik, a junior from Denison (OH.) University won the race with a time of 4:23.99.
"I thought Drew had a solid race," said KSC Coach Jack Fabian. "Hopefully he got the first-race jitters out of the way and can do better in his other events."
Ledwith has improved every year in the 500 free race at the nationals. As a freshman, he placed 17th and moved up to fifth last season.
Ledwith earned his first All-American honor as a freshman, placing third in the 1,650. Last year he was fifth in the 500m and second in the 1.650.
Freshman teammate Shahar Resman also competed in the 500 race, placing 11th with a personal best time of 4:29.32. "I was pretty surprised with my time," said Resman from Ashdod, Israel, who joined the Owls at the start of the second semester. "It was my first time at the championships, so I didn't expect to do as well."
Several Owls also go their feet wet in the first day of competition. Freshman Greg Youngstrom (West Hartford, Conn.) placed 22nd in the 50 free (20.74), junior Jared Hyde (Tolland, Conn.) finished 23rd in the 200 I.M. (1:52.03) and the team of senior Austin Harris (Essex Junction, Vt.), junior James Black (Lynn, Mass.), freshman Cole Hogg (Manchester, N.H.) and Hyde placed 20th in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:34.64.
After nine events, Kenyon (110 points) has a slight lead over two-time champ Denison (89 points). Keene State is in 13th place with 21 points.
