CBU Takes Second, Tolman Wins

Wednesday, March 14

Greensboro, N.C.

7:30 AM

California Baptist University

NCAA Division II Championships

CBU Takes Second, Tolman Wins

3/17/2018 8:53:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Swimming and Diving

By: Andrew Shortall, Asst. Sports Information Director

COMPLETE RESULTS

SATURDAY RESULTS

GREENSBORO, N.C. – In its first four years in NCAA Division II, California Baptist University has never produced a national champion. Scott Tolman changed that on Saturday to help the Lancers to a runner-up finish in Division II with 307 team points.

There were two other All-American performances for CBU from its star senior diver Zach Parry and its 400-yard freestyle relay team to fuel the Lancers to the runner-up finish on Saturday. It is tied for the best-ever finish in Division II in the entire athletic department.

"It's a surreal moment, it took us awhile to get back but we chipped away at it," Rowland said. "Diving went really well, they took care of business today and were the X factor, along with the relay getting top eight. They counter balanced everything our way.

"I am very proud of them. We give all the glory to God. The whole entire team and staff had a hand in this, all the assistant coaches did a great job to get us here."

It allows CBU to bow out of the division on a high note, as it will begin its transition to Division I and the Western Athletic Conference next year. The Lancers' previous-best finish in D-II was 10th place in 2015.

"It was just electric," said Dive Coach Jeff Couto, who lost his voice –likely from cheering so loudly -- on Saturday. "To know we had an opportunity to get runner-up in the nation and then go out and do it was awesome."

Coming into Saturday, CBU trailed Indianapolis by seven points for second place. Queens won the team title with 558 points, while Indianapolis slipped to third on Saturday, with 300 points, and Florida Southern settled for fourth (279), as the Lancers surged on the final day.

"We knew we had to beat Indy in everything and we did on both boards, the relay and the breaststroke," Rowland said. "A lot of things went our way today. I think a lot of people didn't realize we were going to be second until it happened because they weren't counting up the scores like we were."

Tolman locked up the top seed for the 200-yard breaststroke in prelims and did not disappoint in the championship race.

"To be honest, I always have the same game plan," Tolman said of his approach to the 200 breast. "I do not care how the other person swims. If I am in front, good I will keep it that way. If I am behind, good, I will come back and win. I don't care, I always have a better last 50 than anyone else. I am very confident in my swimming but I always have the same stroke count. I never change my approach, I always go out the same."

The sophomore set new CBU records in both heats, going a minute, 55.09 seconds in the morning session and then lowering his time to 1:54.26 in the evening. It broke a three-year-old CBU record set by Nikolay Klepikov in 2014-15 (1:56.32).

"He swam the race of his life in his favorite event," Rowland said of Tolman. "He really surprised us with how well he finished yesterday and today. He had a really outstanding meet and was one of our top point scorers."

Pressure built for CBU going into the final event of the week, the 400-free relay, knowing a disqualification or poor performance could drop it down to third place or worse.

"We had to finish in the last relay six or higher to finish second as a team," Rowland said.

CBU's relay team of Jerome Heidrich, Josh Walters, Bernardo Valentim and Alexis Ohmar rose to the occasion. The quartet took second in the prelims in 2:56.53 and then finished strong to take third place in 2:56.61.

Diving made a big difference for the Lancers, as many of the top-five teams going into the day were without a single diver on the boards, while CBU had two in Parry and Garret Chew. Both Lancers were honored in each diving events this week after they finished in the top-11 at the 3-meter board Saturday.

Parry ended his collegiate career a perfect eight-for-eight in All-American opportunities when he finished third with 530.85 points. It moved Parry up two spots from fifth in the prelims, as he hit three dives for 63 points.

"Zach became an eight-time All-American and from my understanding he's the first athlete to do that in the D-II era," Couto said.

It took some record-breaking performances to keep Parry away from an individual title of his own, as Colorado Mesa's Ammar Hassan set a meet and Division II record with 624.80 points. Five Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference divers joined Hassan and Parry by finishing in the top-eight, as well.

"The level of diving was through the roof, and for Zach to be a part of that in his senior year, you cannot ask for anything more," Couto said. "I couldn't be more proud of the senior, he is going to go down in the record books and be in our hall of fame, how could he not?"

Chew took 11^th place overall with a 468.10 score to end his season as a two-time honorable mention in D-II.

"Garret was outstanding, he was in the top eight for the majority of the time but just got edged out in the prelims," Couto said. "It was a huge improvement for him from last year to be a two-time honorable mention."

In addition to the All-American relay swim, Heidrich advanced to the championship of the 100 freestyle when he took fourth in the prelims with a CBU record time of 43.69. He lowered that time again in the championship race to take fifth in 43.67 for another individual All-American accolade.

"Jerome was very potent for us, swimming on four relays and all his individual events," Rowland said. "We had a lot of guys who contributed for us this week."

Robert Griffith took seventh in the 1650 free prelim (15:42.31) to take 13th overall for honorable mention. It ends a brilliant collegiate career for Griffith, who graduates as a CBU record holder and four-time All-American.

"Robert was great for us and went out an All-American four years in a row, not many people can say that," Rowland said. "He was very consistent for us for all four years."

Tanner Shore also took 26^th overall in the division with a time of 16:13.96. Jacob Leahy just missed out on the consolation final of the 200 backstroke when he took 18^th in 1:47.69. Josh Walters also took 24^th in the 100 free (44.64).

Going back to the 200 breast, it quickly turned into a two-man race for the title, with Tolman and Florida Southern's Luke Jasso pushing each other. Tolman took an early lead with a 25.69 in the first 50 yards that gave him a lead of .29 of a second on Jasso. Tolman extended his advantage to .45 of a second at the halfway mark and never looked back from there, beating Jasso to the wall by .58 of a tick.

"In the last 25, I looked back and said I know I am winning this," Tolman said.

Tolman's thoughts about winning his signature event, the 200 breast, dated back much further, though.

"At the beginning of the semester, I put it in my mind to give it everything I got this year to win this race because I have a chance to do it," Tolman said. "I have been restless all year. I would wake up in the middle of the night with my heart racing just thinking about it."

It was a redemptive end to what started out a frustrating season for Tolman. The sophomore missed the first few weeks of the season with an injury. It led to a slower start to the year than anticipated or hoped for Tolman after an impressive debut as a freshman in 2016-17.

'It was frustrating because I had great times in practices, right where I wanted to be," he said of the setback. "After the injury, I was very disappointed but when I got out of it I knew I had to get back to work and give everything I had to win this race."