FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University swimming and diving program has continued to grow after again seeing success at the 2016 NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships last weekend. The Sharks won three national titles and earned 21 All-American honors.
 
"The characteristics that made the most difference this year was the integrity that each swimmer exhibited at the NCAA Championships," said head coach Hollie Bonewit-Cron. "There was a sense of willingness to compete to everyone's potential for the team. I am very proud of how this team performed from start to finish. We certainly had our hiccups, but this team was able to rebound quickly. There is no doubt that walking away with a trophy was on the minds of all of our athletes and there is no doubt that the push from every athlete is what made our success be realized."
 
The men's team took a leap from seventh overall in 2015 to claiming fourth place at this year's championship. The women came in 11^th overall and their performance was highlighted by Emma Wahlstrom's third-place finish in 200-yard freestyle.
 
Sophomore Anton Lobanov led the way for the men's team, defending his 2015 national titles in both the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke. Thiago Sickert also performed well winning the 200-yard butterfly and earning a second-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle.
 
As a whole, the team set eight new program records across a multitude of events. The relays had an especially strong showing with the men taking third and setting school records in the 200- and 400-yard medley relays and placing third in the 800-yard freestyle relay. The women's record came from Malin Westman who took fourth in the 100-breast with a time of 1:01.79.
 
"Nova Southeastern swimming has quickly evolved in the six short years that it has been in existence," continued Bonewit-Cron. "From the early years, we have had NCAA qualifiers who set the tradition of swimming fast on the national level. Ever since then, we have continued to build this program around talent, character, and work ethic."
 
To recap, the Sharks won the following NCAA National Championship titles:
Anton Lobanov – 100-yard breaststroke (51.94)
Anton Lobanov – 200-yard breaststroke (1:53.29)
Thiago Sickert – 200-yard butterfly (1:44.69)
 
The team as a whole had a very strong showing receiving a combined 48 All-American and All-American Honorable Mention honors. Below is a complete list of all the athletes who earned these honors.
 
The Sharks will only lose three seniors with two on the men's side and one on the women's. This puts NSU in a unique position to continue to succeed and even surpass the team's accomplishments this year. The veteran swimmers will be able to lead the way into the 2016-17 season, for which training has already begun in preparation for the regular season in September and the 2017 NCAA National Championship.
 
"The future of NSU Swimming will not only have a championship foundation, but a solid direction of achieving the goals and expectations created by a winning culture," added Bonewit-Cron.
 
WOMEN
Courtney DeVeny (So., Estero, Fla.) – 200-yard medley relay Honorable Mention
Caroline Oster (Fr., Lake Mary, Fla.) - 200-yard freestyle relay Honorable Mention; 400-yard medley relay Honorable Mention; 800-yard freestyle relay Honorable Mention; 400-yard freestyle relay Honorable Mention
Sydney Panzarino (So., Bradenton, Fla.) - 200-yard medley relay Honorable Mention; 200-yard freestyle relay Honorable Mention; 400-yard freestyle relay Honorable Mention
Jordan Shows (So., Alta Loma, Calif.) - 200-yard medley relay Honorable Mention; 200-yard freestyle relay Honorable Mention; 400-yard medley relay Honorable Mention; 800-yard freestyle relay Honorable Mention; 400-yard freestyle relay Honorable Mention
Emma Wahlstrom (Jr., Stockholm, Sweden) – 200-yard freestyle All-American; 500-yard freestyle All-American; 200-yard freestyle relay Honorable Mention; 400-yard medley relay Honorable Mention; 800-yard freestyle relay Honorable Mention; 200-yard backstroke Honorable Mention; 400-yard freestyle relay Honorable Mention
Malin Westman (So., Harryda, Sweden) – 200-yard breaststroke All-American; 200-yard IM Honorable Mention; 200-yard medley relay Honorable Mention; 400-yard medley relay Honorable Mention; 800-yard freestyle relay Honorable Mention; 200-yard breaststroke Honorable Mention
 
MEN
Marco Aldabe (Jr., Alicante, Spain) – 200-yard IM All-American; 400-yard IM All-American; 400-yard medley relay All-American; 800-yard freestyle relay All-American; 200-yard backstroke Honorable Mention; 400-yard freestyle relay Honorable Mention
Anton Lobanov (So., Novosibirisk, Russia) – 100-yard breaststroke All-American; 200-yard breaststroke All-American; 200-yard medley relay All-American; 400-yard medley relay All-American; 400-yard freestyle relay Honorable Mention
Thiago Sickert (Jr., Vila Velha, Brazil) – 200-yard butterfly All-American; 50-yard freestyle All-American; 100-yard freestyle All-American; 200-yard freestyle All-American; 200-yard medley relay All-American; 400-yard medley relay All-American; 800-yard freestyle relay All-American
Victor Tarin (Jr., Godelleta, Spain) - 200-yard medley relay All-American; 400-yard medley relay All-American; 800-yard freestyle relay All-American; 400-yard freestyle relay Honorable Mention
David Van Der Colff (Fr., Gaborone, Botswana) – 200-yard medley relay All-American; 800-yard freestyle relay All-American; 400-yard medley relay Honorable Mention
Blake Woodrow (So., Fort Myers, Fla.) – 1650-yard freestyle Honorable Mention; 500-yard freestyle Honorable Mention