GREENSBORO, NC. – Senior Kaleigh Sharkey became SFU's most decorated female swimmer in the NCAA era in the final race on the final day of the 2022 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
 
Sharkey's performance, along with a NCAA title won by Collyn Gagne earlier in the week, shone a spotlight on Canada's NCAA team, who left Greensboro, North Carolina, with 12 individual and five relays earning All-American awards.
 
It was the best performance ever for the SFU women, who finished in eighth place in the race for the team title. The men's team was 14^th.
 
Sharkey earned two All-American First Team trophies on Saturday. First, she finished seventh in the finals of the 100-yard freestyle to earn her 10^th All-American First Team trophy. In the final race of the day, alongside teammates Kennedy Loewen, Tori Meklensek, and Jordan Doner she did it again. Sharkey swam the second leg of the 4x400 freestyle relay and togther the foursome finished fifth, four seconds behind the winners from Queens (NC), 3:19.14 to 3:23.62.
 
The group's performance lifted Sharkey into the history books, earning her a school record 11^th All-American First Team award, moving her past Jessie Gibson who earned 10 all-time during her time at SFU.
 
Sharkey finished the 100 free race in 50.29 seconds behind winner Danielle Melilli of Queens (NC) winning time of 48.91. The First Team All-American trophy, awarded by the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association for top 8 performances, was the third of this championship meet and the 10^th in her SFU career.
 
As a freshman in 2018, Sharkey was fourth in 200-yard butterfly and eighth in the 800-yard freestyle relay. A year later as a sophomore, she was third in the 100-yard fly, fifth in the 200 fly, sixth in the 400 free relay, 800 free relay, and 200 medley relay. COVID wiped out her 2020 and 2021 competitive seasons.
 
This year Sharkey earned four first team awards. She was part of the foursome that placed seventh in the 400 medley relay and fourth in the 800 free relay. On Day 4 today, she earned two trophies in the 4x400 free relay and 100 free.
 
Day 4 of the championships saw SFU freshman Isabelle Roth add more hardware to her collection, finishing fifth in the 200 breaststroke in 2:14.84. Lily Borgenheimer won the race in 2:11.56.
 
The men's 200 backstroke saw the school record fall twice. First, in the consolation final, it was senior Jayden Cole who broke Collyn Gagne's school record by swimming 1:44.91 to place 11^th overall. Up next in the finals was Gagne, who touched in 1:44.90 for sixth place to reset the SFU record. The winner was Mikit Tsmyh of Drury in 1:41.36
 
It was quite a week for Gagne, who won an NCAA championship and set an NCAA record in the 400-yard individual medley, and came second in the 200 IM, setting school records in both races. He also finished sixth in the 200-yard butterfly, taking home four All-American First Team trophies in individual races. He added another All-American First Team trophy to become the first swimmer to win five at one championship. Kennedy Loewen was a six-time All-American at these championships with five First Team awards and one Second Team honour.
 
In the 100-yard freestyle races on Saturday Leo Fath was 39^th in 45.01 seconds in the men's race and Kennedy Loewen was 22^nd in the woman's race in 51.03.
 
Freshman Tori Meklensek finished 22^nd in the 1650 freestyle endurance race in 17:20.66.
 
The SFU women finished in 8th place overall with with 187 points. The men's team was 14th with 103 points. Queens University of Charlotte Royals men and women are champions for the seventh-consecutive year, winning both the 2022 DII men's and women's swimming and diving national championships.
 
NCAA Championship Results
(All-Americans First Team (Finish 1-8); Second Team (Finish 9-16))

WOMEN
Kaleigh Sharkey – 200-yard medley relay--11th, 1:42.34# | 50-yard free--27th, 23.55 | 100-yard butterfly--10th, 54.37+ | 400-yard medley relay--7th, 3:42.80# | 800-yard free relay--4th, 7:22.35# | 100-yard free--7th, 50.29 | 400-yard free relay--5th, 3:23.62# |

Kennedy Loewen: 200-yard individual medley--4th, 2:00.93# |  400-yard individual medley--2nd, 4:17.61# | 200-yard medley relay--11th, 1:42.34# | 400-yard medley relay--7th, 3:42.80# | 800-yard free relay--4th, 7:22.35# | 400-yard free relay--5th, 3:23.62# |

Kaysha Bikadi: 200-yard medley relay--11th, 1:42.34# |  400-yard medley relay--7th, 3:42.80# |

Isabelle Roth: 200-yard medley relay--11th, 1:42.34# | 400-yard medley relay--7th, 3:42.80# | 100-yard breaststroke--6th, 1:01.74 | 800-yard free relay--4th, 7:22.35# | 200-yard breaststroke--5th, 2:14.84 | 

Tori Meklensek: 200-yard freestyle--4th, 1:49.32 | 500-yard freestyle--18th, 4:59.53 | 800-yard free relay--4th, 7:22.35# | 1650-yard free--22nd, 17:20.66 | 400-yard free relay--5th, 3:23.62# |

Jordan Doner: 400-yard free relay--5th, 3:23.62# 

MEN
Collyn Gagne: 200-yard individual medley--2nd, 1:45.03# | 400-yard individual medley--1st, 3:42.49*# | 800-yard free relay--6th, 6:31.47 | 200-yard back--6th, 1:44.90# | 200-yard butterfly--6th, 1:44.99# | 

Jayden Cole: 100-yard back--15th, 48.01+ | 200-yard back--11th, 1:44.91# | 

Mathew Fuller: 800-yard free relay--6th, 6:31.47 |

Leo Fath: 200-yard freestyle--11th, 1:36.65 | 800-yard free relay--6th, 6:31.47 | 100-yard freestyle--39th, 45.01

Jimmy Zhang: 800-yard free relay--6th, 6:31.47 |

*NCAA Record #SFU Record  +SFU record set in preliminary race

 
Women's Team Results
1. Queens (NC): 536.5   points
2. Indy 423
3. Nova S'Eastern 368.5  
4. Drury 342.5
5. Colorado Mesa 241  
6. West Chester 231
7. Lindenwood 213  
8. Simon Fraser 187
9. Tampa 150 
10. Carson-Newman 148
11. Wingate 144 
12. West Florida 125
13. Nmu 108 
14. Lynn 97
15. Delta State 85 
                                    
Men's Team Results
1. Queens (NC) 607.5 points 
2. Drury 522
3. Indy 413  
4. McKendree 310
5. Florida Southern 225
6. Colorado Mesa 221
7. Lindenwood 216  
8. Wingate 194.5
9. Findlay 161 
10. Grand Valley 144
11. Oklahoma Christian 139 
12. Nova S'Eastern 138
13. Delta State 105 
14. Simon Fraser 103
15. Wayne State 93 
16. Carson-Newman 85
 
--@SFU_Athletics--