Shenandoah, Texas, March 15, 2017 – The Washington University in St. Louis swimming and diving program swam to four All-American finishes by placing in the top-8 of three events on day one of the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving National Championships Wednesday evening at the Conroe ISD Natatorium.

The WashU men totaled three All-American finishes on the day, the 200 medley relay and two individuals in the 200 individual medley while the women recorded an All-American finish in the 500 freestyle. The Bears also set three new school records. At the conclusion of the first day's events, the WashU men are in fifth place with 59 points as the women totaled 30 points and are in eighth.

The 200 medley relay team improved upon their seventh seeded prelim time to place third behind the efforts of freshman Peyton Wilson, senior Michael Lagieski, sophomore Andrew Pek and junior Ross Brown. The group set a new school record with a time of 1:28.99 to score 32 points for the Bears men.

Lagieski also scored an All-American status with a school record time for the Bears in the 200 IM (1:48.28). This is the second straight season Lagieski earned an All-American finish in the event and he increased his career total to 11 All-American finishes.

Sophomore Kevin Van Cleave also placed within the top-8, to earn his first All-American honor individually in the 200 IM. He also swam ahead of the previous school record of 1:49.15 to place eighth with a time of 1:49.02. Van Cleave set a new personal-best time in the prelims (1:48.90)

Junior Nicole Zanolli had the final All-American finish for the Bears. She placed fifth in the 500 freestyle, 4:52.49, while earning her fourth career All-American honor. It was Zanolli's first All-American finish in the 500 and she earned the Bears women 14 points.

Zanolli, junior Niamh O'Grady, senior Lauren Carlos and senior MariMac Collins combined to set a new school record in the 200 medley relay for the women. The group's time of 1:44.11 ranked 14^th and earned the Bears 10 points. O'Grady also earned All-American honorable mention status by qualifying for the 200 IM finals and placing 11^th overall (2:04.64).

Also earning points for the Bears' men in qualifying for the 50 freestyle was Brown. Brown had the 12^th best prelim time (20.53) before placing 14^th in the finals (20.62) to earn All-American honorable mention.

Wilson also swam in the 200 IM finishing 24^th of 37 in the prelims with a time of 1:52.01. Pek also swam in the 50 freestyle (21.06) prelims, finishing 36^th of 48. Senior Andrew Ellison was 27^th of 33 swimmers in the 500 freestyle (4:35.17).

Collins swam in the 50 freestyle prelims for the women, tying a season-best time of 23.69 finishing 22^nd of 58. Sophomore Lauren Sapp finished 33^rd in the event with a time of 23.92. Senior diver Emily Ramos competed in the three-meter dive totaling a score of 333.60.

The Bears will pick up the action Thursday morning with preliminaries in the 200 freestyle relay, 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 400 medley relay and the men's one-meter dive. The finals for Thursday's events will begin at 6 p.m.