Columbia Men Finish 6th at GA Small College Meet

COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Columbia College men's swim team competed in the Georgia Small College Championships from November 16-18 in Columbus, GA and placed 6th.

Thomas University (Ga.) won the meet followed by Ave Maria (FL), Life University (Ga.), Point (Ga.), Converse (SC) and Columbia. The men began the meet in the 200 Free Relay placing 13th in 1:46 with senior Will Evans swimming the fastest leg in 22.9 seconds.

Senior Nick Topar then placed 19th in the 500 Free finishing in a time of 5:32 but did not qualify for the finals. Evans then swam a season-best time of 22.5 seconds in the 50 Free on Day one Thursday to place 10th in the prelims to advance to the "B" finals where he finished 2nd in 22.6 seconds.

Finishing up day one, the men came in 12th place in the 400 Medley Relay in a time of 4:31 featuring Jamal Johnson, Evans, Topar, and Kell Evans. 

Topar then placed 14th in the 100 Fly Prelims in 59 seconds to advance to the B finals where he was 4th of 8 improving by 3 seconds to finish in a season-best 56 seconds on Day two. Johnson then placed 15th in the 200 Free Prelims in 2:20 before improving by 2 seconds in the B finals in 2:18 to come in 7th.

Will Evans then swam a good time in the 100 Breast placing 9th in the prelims in 1:01.6 before coming in 2nd place in the B finals in 1:02. Later on Friday, the men competed in the 200 Medley Relay coming in 12th in 1:58 led by Johnson, Will Evans, Topar and Kell. Topar swam the fastest leg in 25 seconds.

On Saturday, Evans came in 12th in the prelims in the 100 Free in 50.3 seconds and have the 4th best time in the B finals. Johnson also swam and came in 28th in 1:03 while Kell was 29th in 1:12. Topar came in 6th out of 11 in the prelims of the 200 Fly in a season best 2:07.