Over four nights and 20 events, no member of the Denison men’s swimming and diving team set foot atop the medals stand — until it came time for possibly the greatest group photo of their lives.
Jubilant swimmers, divers, coaches, and support staff crowded onto the podium inside the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, North Carolina, to celebrate the program’s sixth NCAA Division III title. Tyler Distenfeld ’25 and Gavin Jones ’25 did well not to fall off the back of the medals stand as teammates held the first-place trophy aloft.
It mattered little to them that they hadn’t won an individual event or relay. If anything, it showcased Denison’s stunning pool of depth and team culture. The Big Red tallied 463.5 points — 140 points clear of runner-up Emory University — to collect their first title since 2019.
“I wouldn’t have traded that trophy for any individual first-place finish,” Patrick Daly ’25 said.
“Nothing compares to standing up there with all your boys around you,” Jack Hill ’27 added.
The trophy presentation culminated an outstanding four days at the NCAA meet as the Denison women’s team, led by Emily Harris ’26, finished in fourth place. The Big Red women have been a model of consistency with top-four finishes in the past three years, including a 2023 championship.
Patrick Daly ’25 prepares for a race.
“I thought our women performed really well,” said men’s and women’s coach Gregg Parini, who’s won a combined eight NCAA titles since 2001.
Two days after the meet, Parini was still buzzing with pride as he discussed the wholesale contributions of his athletes, assistants, and support staff. What coach shouts out the team’s yoga instructor? That’s the kind of program Parini has built on The Hill.
While it marks the first time Denison has won a national title without having an individual or relay champion, the Big Red rarely have relied on star power in pursuit of team glory.
“These are team efforts, and this year’s men’s team has personified that as much as any team I’ve ever coached,” Parini said. “It underscores the culture we have created.”
The men’s team qualified 19 athletes for the NCAA meet, with all but one scoring points.
Distenfeld was so sick in the run up to the conference championships that he didn’t tally a single point. He needed to swim in a last-chance meet at Kenyon to earn NCAA qualifying times in the 1650- and 500-yard freestyle events.
The senior delivered for his teammates by finishing second in the 1650 and sixth in the 500 at Greensboro. The 1650 was a prime example of how Denison dominated the meet without having to touch the wall first. While Distenfeld was runner-up, George Goins ’28 came in third, followed by Lucas Conrads ’25 in fifth.
Parini praised the leadership of Daly and Jones, who swam in the 2024 U.S. Olympic qualifiers. After the Big Red finished sixth in last year’s NCAA meet, the two seniors spoke to teammates about the importance of buying into the message and arriving back at Denison in peak condition.
Patrick Daly ’25 placed second in both the 200 individual medley and 200 breaststroke.
Daly poured through data from last year’s NCAA meet and told the group they statistically had the best field of returning athletes in individual events. The key would be improved performances in the relays.
Message received. All five Denison relays finished in the top five with a pair of runner-up showings in the 400 and 800 events. Meanwhile, Daly placed second in both the 200 individual medley and 200 breaststroke.
“We not only had great leaders, but great listeners, guys who were willing to follow and buy in,” the coach said.
When Parini got into coaching, his father told him, “Expect a bumpy ride if you hitch your wagon to the whims of 18-to-22-year-olds.” Translation: College athletes have so much going on in their lives away from the pool.
Parini has become iconic in his profession by getting athletes to commit to a team-first mentality. In January, he switched up the annual post-holiday training routine. Instead of high-intensity, high-volume workouts, they focused on quality over quantity. The Big Red rocketed to the top of the national rankings and carried it through to an NCAA title.
“Fatigue is the enemy when it comes to performance — it erodes confidence,” Parini said. “Peak performance is an alignment of mind, body, and spirit.”
The Big Red peaked in Greensboro. You can see it in the faces of those swimmers and divers crowded into a celebratory photo that will last a lifetime.
Nick Hensel ’28 and Gavin Jones ’25 celebrate their finishes.
