Indianapolis, Ind. - University of Wisconsin-La Crosse freshman
Preston Nygaard of
McFarland (H.S.) opened competition at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Swimming & Diving Championships Wednesday at the IU Natatorium.
Indiana University Indianapolis will serve as host of the championships.
Nygaard competed in the 50 freestyle preliminaries, placing 49th (21.23).
He is set to compete in the 100 breaststroke on Friday, March 20 and the 200 breaststroke on Saturday, March 21.
He captured a pair of individual titles at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championships, taking the 100 (54.57) and 200 (1:58.65) breaststroke while setting school records in both events. He was also second (1:49.76) in the 200 I.M.
Nygaard was a member of three relays to win conference titles, including the 200 and 400 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay. He was joined on the 200 and 400 freestyle relay with
Tyler Hartmann,
Jesse Hammes and
Jacob Ketterling. Nygaard,
Coby Zander, Ketterling and Hartmann captured the 400 medley relay. UWL finished third in the 800 freestyle relay with
Gavin LaBeau,
Davin Evans,
Caleb Jondle and Nygaard.
UWL, led by head coach
Steve Mohs, captured its fifth WIAC title in school history and first since 1971 at this year's league championships as Mohs was selected the WIAC Men's Coach of the Year.
Jack Englehardt serves as UWL's assistant coach.
The top-eight finishers in each event earn NCAA III All-America honors while ninth through 16th-place earn NCAA III Honorable Mention accolades.
