EC Swimming Has Great Success at Nationals, Santos wins National Championship

Emmanuel closed out a strong week at the 2021 NCAA Division II National Swimming & Diving Championships at the Birmingham CrossPlex on Saturday, March 20.

Igor Bretas Dantas collected 3 All-American honors in the 50, 100, and 200 Freestyle. 

Enzo Kihara secured 3 All-American honors in the 500, 1000, and 1,650-yard freestyle.

Natalie Hayes became the second female Emmanuel swimmer to claim an All-American honors and the first female Emmanuel swimmer to receive All-American honors in the 200 fly. 

Joao Vitor Dos Santos Thomaz finished 1st in the 100 Breast (52.77) to earn his first individual NCAA national title!

The senior from Maringa, Brazil posted a time of 52.77 to secure the national title. The national championship is the second for Emmanuel since 2019 with Alex Sobers also capturing a national title in the 500-yard freestyle at the 2019 NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships.

The national title is the seventh individual national championship overall for Conference Carolinas. The number is eight including the national title last weekend for Isiah Royal of Newberry as part of the South Atlantic Conference Carolinas men’s wrestling collaboration.

Joao Vitor Dos Santos Thomaz followed up his national championship in the 100-yard breaststroke one day earlier with an All-America performance in the 200-yard breaststroke. 

Swimming has now earned 50 NCAA Div. II All-American Honors and 2 individual National Champions in just 3 seasons.

Emmanuel Head Swim Coach, Allen Gilchrest, commented; “Representing Emmanuel on the National stage is always an honor, I am proud of our teams accomplishments this season, and we give God the Glory.”