2015 NCAA Pysch Sheet | NCAA Championship Central
ROCHESTER, Mich. - Jorden Merrilees, a junior on the Oakland men's swimming and diving team, will compete at the 2015 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships, hosted by the University of Iowa March 26-28 at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium in Iowa City, Iowa.

After posting the 29th fastest time in the 500 freestyle (4:17.05) in the NCAA this season, Merrilees was selected as one of 235 swimmers to compete at the national championship. Merrilees will also swim in the 400 IM and 200 backstroke thanks to NCAA "B" standard times also posted this season.

"We're all extremely excited about today's announcement that Jorden (based on the strength of his time in the 500 freestyle) has been invited to participate in this year's NCAA Championship in Iowa City," Oakland head coach Pete Hovland said."We're all very proud of all that he has accomplished this year and we are confident the best is yet to come."

Merrilees will swim in the 500 free Thursday, March 26 and the 400 IM Friday, March 27. He will wrap up with the 200 back Saturday, March 28. Preliminaries are slated to begin at 11 a.m. CT on each day, with A and B final swims set for 7 p.m. that same day.

Last month, Merrilees was named both the Horizon League's Swimmer of the Year and Swimmer of the Meet after a stellar regular season for the Golden Grizzlies. While at the conference championship, Merrilees set four Horizon League individual records in the 200 free (1:35.55), 500 free (4:17.05), 200 back (1:43.86) and 400 IM (3:45.73). Merrilees' times in the 200 free, 500 free and 400 IM are also Oakland team records.

Merrilees also swam in Oakland's Horizon League-record setting relay team in the 800 free relay (6:29.64), with his lead leg time of 1:35.55 setting the Horizon League standard in the 200 free.

Merrilees is the first Oakland swimmer to advance to the national championship since Anders Jensen did so during the 2012-13 season. Jensen competed in the 100 and 200 back at the NCAAs. Jensen was also the last Oakland swimmer to score at the NCAA Championship after finishing 12th overall in the 200 back in 2009.

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