DALLAS (Oct. 30, 2021) – Freshman
J.T. Amrein won one breaststroke event and finished second in another and junior freestyle sprinter
Brandon Heredia held his own against NCAA Division I competition as Oklahoma Christian competed in a tri-meet on Saturday with Southern Methodist and Incarnate Word.
Amrein, from Bonner Springs, Kan., was the star for the Eagles in the meet, held at SMU's gorgeous Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center and Barr-McMillion Natatorium. In an exciting finish in the 100-yard breaststroke, Amrein outdueled SMU's Connor Dalbo, winning in 55.28 seconds to Dalbo's 55.30. Amrein easily met the NCAA Division II B-cut standard, putting him in position to qualify for the Division II Championships in March.
In another tight finish in the 200 breaststroke, Amrein took second in 2:01.14 behind SMU's Braydon Rudd, who won in 2:00.70. Amrein just missed the Division II B-cut of 2:00.87 in that event.
Heredia, from Maryville, Mo., was the Eagles' other top performer. He finished third in the 50 freestyle in 20.87 seconds and fourth in the 100 freestyle in 45.39 seconds, meeting the Division II B-cut standard in the latter event.
Caleb Musser, a freshman from Overland Park, Kan., took fourth in the 200 freestyle in 1:41.38. The Eagles picked up fifth-place event finishes from freshman
Nathaniel Whitehead of Tigard, Ore., in the 200 backstroke (1:57.08) and freshman
Chase Fields of Tyler, Texas, in the 500 freestyle (4:41.48).
OC's 200 freestyle relay team of Amrein, Heredia, Musser and freshman
Dereck Montgomery of Rosenberg, Texas, took second in 1:23.95, just behind Incarnate Word, whose top team finished in 1:23.51. The Eagles' 200 medley relay team of senior
Noah Woollweever of Beckley, W.Va., Amrein, Musser and Heredia took fifth in 1:32.60.
In the head-to-head team scores, SMU downed OC 192-88, while Incarnate Word beat the Eagles 190-100.
The Eagles -- ranked No. 18 in Division II -- now will prepare for their own Eagle Invitational, which they will host from Nov. 11-13 at the Mitch Park YMCA pool in Edmond.
