Wingate University sophomore student-athlete Iaroslav Denysenko (Poltava, Ukraine) was voted the NCAA Division II Swimmer of the Meet at the recent national championship meet in Mansfield, Texas. On the fourth and final day of competition, Denysenko won his third national championship of the week and fourth of his career, touching first in the 1650 Freestyle with a new school record time of 15:13.74.
Denysenko’s three national titles were the 500, the 1000 and the 1650 Freestyle events. He missed a fourth national crown by 0.02 seconds in the 200 Freestyle. The two-time Bluegrass Mountain Conference Swimmer of the Meet, Denysenko broke a 10-year-old NCAA Division II championship record in the 500 Free.
Denysenko and his six teammates made history, accumulating the most points for a Bulldog men’s swimming team. Wingate tallied 305 points, tying Grand Canyon (Ariz.) for fifth place. Drury (Mo.) won its eighth consecutive national championship with 473 points. UC San Diego was second with 400 points. Florida Southern and Incarnate Word (Texas) finished third and fourth, respectively, with 316.5 and 315.5 points.
