For the John Carroll University Men’s Swimming and Diving team, the journey back to University Heights was full of triumph and smiles from the surplus of success.

Over the past weekend, the Blue Streaks sent a crew of elite swimmers to the National Collegiate Athletic Conference Division III National Championships at the Greensboro Aquatic Center. The trip to North Carolina resulted in a 15th place overall finish for the Blue and Gold.

The four-day event consisted of a plethora of competition in which John Carroll represented well.

On day one, the Blue Streaks put their foot on the gas with no sign of hitting the brakes. 

Liam McDonnell ‘23, Jonah Venos ‘23, Bryce Liddell ‘25 and Daniel Argalious ‘26 earned a seventh place finish in the 200 Medley Relay, good for acquisition of First Team All-American honors.

A day later, several John Carroll swimmers made memorable appearances. 

McDonnell, Argalious, Liddell and Michael Heller ‘23 grabbed Second Team All-American honors with a 14th place tap-in for the 200 Freestyle Relay. 

McDonnell continued to showcase his dominance in individual performances as well. McDonnell set a school record for the 100 Butterfly, good for 4th place overall in combination with First Team All-American honors. 

Venos, Owen Holm ‘26, Heller and McDonnell closed the evening with a 10th place overall finish in the 400 Medley Relay. This bout of speed was enough for the group of four to earn Second Team All American accolades. 

The final two days of competition looked fairly similar to the opening events for the Blue Streaks. John Carroll somehow pulled off even more All-American performances. 

At the culmination of National events, the final counts of merit were as follows: 4 First Team All-American awards and 2 Second Team-All American awards. 

John Carroll’s performances resulted in 87 team points, leading to a 15th place finish. It is essential to bear in mind that a 15th place standing is among all Division III Men’s Swimming and Diving squads in the entire United States. 

For the Blue and Gold to be able to send athletes to the final bout of competition at the national level is something to be incredibly proud of. 

For the 2022-2023 season, John Carroll finished with a 7-1 record, undefeated in Ohio Athletic Conference battle. In the postseason, the Blue and Gold swept each day of conference championships, leading to their seventh consecutive OAC title. 

Undoubtedly, there is certainly something in the water for John Carroll Swimming and Diving and it’s safe to say the victories will likely continue.