Junior Emma Paulson led the way for the St. Thomas swim and dive team Wednesday at the Division III NCAA championships in Greensboro, North Carolina, winning the national championship in the women’s 50 freestyle and setting a MIAC record with a time of 22.77 seconds.

Paulson defeated her closest competitor, Fiona Muir of Emory College by .04 seconds. Although the race was close, the roaring cheers from teammates assured Paulson that she touched the wall first.

“I knew I had won once I heard my team cheering for me,” Paulson said, “It was such a great feeling to see them all cheering.”

As the shortest event of the night, the 50 freestyle is never short on fireworks.

“The 50 free is always an exciting event,” Paulson said. “It was a really fun race with lots of great competition.”

Tommie coach Scott Blanchard was proud of Paulson and her rare achievement.

“She has done something that not very many other St. Thomas swimmers have done before by becoming a national champion,” Blanchard said.

Paulson qualified for the final with an identical time of 22.77 in the preliminary round earlier in the day and was the only Tommie to qualify for the finals in any event on Wednesday.

Apart from Paulson, Tommies also competed in the preliminary round of four other events.

Sophomore Warren Melton finished 20th in the men’s 500 freestyle with a time of 4:33.30, his personal best by about a second.

Seniors Mike Lanz and Tom Osmolak both competed in the men’s 50 freestyle. Lanz finished 39th in 20.97 seconds and Osmolak finished 49th with a time of 22.07.

Lanz and Osmolak were a part of a men’s 200 medley relay team that also included senior Max Hamilton and sophomore Bailey Biwer. The team finished 17th with a time of 1:32.60.

Senior Molly Peichel, sophomore Tiana Molitor and freshmen Katelyn Strauss and Kathryn Smarjesse made up the women’s 200 medley relay team, finishing 22nd with a time of 1:47.90.

“I am extremely happy with our performances today,” Blanchard said. “I think we all swam very well.”

The NCAA championships will continue tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. Central Standard Time. Tomorrow will include the following events for both men and women: 200 freestyle relay, 400 individual medley, 100 butterfly, 200 free and 400 medley relay.

The entire meet is streamed online on ncaa.com.

Taylor Smith can be reached at smit9660@stthomas.edu.