Swimming and Diving Drew Athletic Communications

Drew's Nicholas Heinio-Widell Wraps Up NCAA Swimming Championship

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Sophomore Nicholas Heinio-Widell wrapped up his debut at the NCAA Division III Championships on Saturday, March 22.

Heinio-Widell swam to 1:50.62 in the 200-IM to open the championships on Thursday, just 0.59 seconds shy of his school record set back on Feb. 14 at the Landmark Conference Championships.

Competing in his second event of the Championships, the 100-Fly Heinio-Widell clocked a time of 48.48 seconds, just 0.33 seconds shy of his own Drew and Landmark Conference record. Additionally, he came within 0.45 seconds of placing 16th and qualifying for the consolation final.

In his final event of the weekend, the 100-Free, Heinio-Widell was clocked at 44.63 seconds – just eight-hundredths of a second shy of the mark needed to qualify for the consolation finals and capture Honorable Mention All-America honors. His time was also just 0.17 seconds off his own Drew and Landmark Conference records.

Heinio-Widell's showing marked the second-best finish in Drew men's swimming & diving history at the NCAA Championships behind only the 13th-place finish by Hayden Koh C'24 at the 2023 event.

The Championship capped an incredible season for Heinio-Widell, who also named the Landmark Conference Swimmer of the Year for the second consecutive season. He was just the second male swimmer at Drew and the fourth Ranger overall to qualify for the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships.