SHENENDOAH, Texas – Wes Tatum finished in 8th place in the 100-yard butterfly on Thursday evening at the 2015 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships at the Conroe ISD Natatorium.
Tatum touched the wall in 48.84 in the championship final. Dalton Reed of Washington University (Mo.) won the event and set an NCAA Division III record with a time of 46.97.
Tatum qualified for the championship final by posting a new Whitworth school record time of 48.70 in the morning preliminaries, edging the previous record of 48.73 he established at the 2014 NCAA Championships.
It is Tatum's first-ever All-America (top-8) finish. Last season he finished 10th in the 100 butterfly and 9th in the 200 butterfly.
Wes Walton competed in the 400-yard individual medley on Thursday and just missed qualifying for the consolation finals (9th-16th). He finished 18th in the morning preliminary heats with a season-best time of 3:59.40. His mark was only .19 behind the 16th qualifier.
Tatum will be the only Pirate to race on Friday when he competes in the 200-yard butterfly. Walton will conclude his participation on Saturday.
