LAWRENCE, Kan. (Sept. 17, 2021) – Oklahoma Christian's Andrew Ehler improved his time by nearly two minutes while leading the Eagles to a sixth-place team finish in the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America's National Collegiate Open Water Championship at Lone Star Lake.

Ehler, a junior from Oak Point, Texas, swam in the event for the second time and finished 16th among 28 swimmers from eight schools with a time of 1:03:31.6 over the 5,000-meter course. Two years ago – the last time the event was held – he finished in 1:05:22.2.

OC's other swimmers in the season-opening event included freshman Chase Fields of Tyler, Texas (21st in 1:05:44.2), senior Zac Hawes of Houston (22nd in 1:06:01.9) and sophomore Elijah Tung of Columbia, S.C. (28th in 1:09:55.0).

The Eagles posted a team score of 59 (based on the finish of their top three finishers) to place sixth. Another NCAA Division II school, Northern Michigan, won the team title with a score of 15. Zach Ondrej of Northern Michigan took the individual title, finishing in 56:10.6.

To qualify for the event, swimmers had to meet time standards in distance events in the pool (500-yard freestyle, 1,000-yard freestyle and 1,650-yard freestyle).