David Curtis, John Geissinger, Callen Hetterich and Dan Thurston celebrate their 800 free relay national title.

The Denison 800 freestyle relay team walked away with their fourth consecutive national championship in that event, highlighting the third of four days at the 2009 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championship from The University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.

With three of the four days in the books, the Big Red find themselves in third place with 234.5 points.  They trail Emory University who sits in second with 324 points and Kenyon College who has pulled away from the field with 482 points.  Sitting fourth is St. Olaf (205) and Amherst College occupies the fifth spot with 117 points.

The relay team that was comprised of seniors David Curtis and John Geissinger, sophomore Callen Hetterich and freshman Dan Thurston, set a new national record with a time of 6:32.91 which shattered the previous NCAA record by over three seconds.  While Denison has won the last four 800 free relays Curtis has been the common thread.  The senior has swam on all four of those title-winning relays and has upped his career national title count to nine.  For Geissinger it marks his first title of 2009 and the fourth of his career.  He has swam on the last three winning 800 free relays.

One of Denison's most successful single events of this year's national championship occured in the 100 backstroke where four DU swimmers placed in the top-16.  They were led by freshman Robert Barry who placed second with a time of 49.43.  That was a personal best which broke his own school-record time of 49.88 that was set last month at the North Coast Athletic Conference Championship.

Swimming in the consolation final of the 100 backstroke was Mike Barczak, Jon Behnke and Charlie Grodecki.  Barczak led the way with a 13th place finish and a time of 50.56.  Behnke followed in 15th, touching in 50.62 while Grodecki took 16th in 50.73.

The Big Red had three other individuals score on Friday night.  In the 200 butterfly, freshman Kyle Chabot became an All-American with a 16th place finish.  In the 100 breaststroke Jake Lewing tied for 11th with a time of 56.22.  John Nemeth notched his second All-American award with a 13th place showing and a time of 56.50.

Denison will return for their final day of competition on Saturday for the finals in the 1650 free, the 100 free, 200 backstroke, 200 breaststroke and the 400 free relay. Geissinger boasts the nation's top time in the 100 free at 43.96.

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