AKRON, Ohio - Freshman Caden Traggiai set two program records and earned All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) honors for the Wilmington College men's swimming team on the final day of the 2023 OAC Swimming & Diving Championships on Saturday.
Traggiai finished runner-up in the 1,650-yard freestyle with a time of 16:23.40, breaking the old record of 16:25.89 set by Mark Harris during the 2014-15 season. Additionally, the freshman set the 1,00-yard freestyle record with a split in the race, breaking another Harris record from the 2014-15 campaign by nearly two seconds. Teammates and fellow freshman Austin Faries placed 15th with a time of 17:35.11.
Three Quakers competed in the consolation final of the 100-yard freestyle and all finished right next to each other in the results. Sondre Haugen was runner-up (47.02 seconds), Cameron Bolen was third (47.19 seconds) and Austin reed was fourth (47.26 seconds). In the consolation final of the 200-yard breaststroke, Noah Arend touched the wall in seventh (2:37.09) while Luke Ruther was eighth (2:38.47).
Wilmington closed out its season with a fourth-place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay as the Quaker squad of Haugen, Traggiai, Reed and Bolen out-touched Baldwin Wallace University for a time of 3:10.32.
"Congratulations to both teams on an outstanding OAC Championship Meet," Head Coach Trip Breen said. "Their hard work and commitment to each helped produce 108 lifetime-best performances and four team records. They have a lot to be proud of!"
As a team, Wilmington finished fifth with 282 points. Defending champions John Carroll University won the title again with 948 points and were followed by the University of Mount Union (676 points), Ohio Northern University (642 points) and Baldwin Wallace (420 points).
