BRUNSWICK, Maine - Williams College held off a final day charge by Amherst to claim its ninth consecutive New England Small College Athletic Conference Men's Swimming and Diving Championship Sunday at Bowdoin College. The Ephs finished with a team total of 1,741.5 points to defeat Amherst by 127 points, the closest margin of victory since the 2003 Championship.

Williams' Paul Dyrkacz was named the Swimmer of the Meet and Johann Schmidt of Tufts was named Diver of the Meet. Alex Fraser of Amherst claimed the four-year high-point swimmer honor with Trevor Stack of Tufts earning the four-year high-point award for diving. Williams coach Steve Kuster claimed Swimming Coach of the Meet while Brad Snodgrass of Tufts was tabbed as Diving Coach of the Meet.

Strong showings by Amherst in the opening races of the final session drew the Jeffs within four points of the Ephs entering the final four competitions of the night. Amherst junior Ryan Lichtenfels won his third straight title in the 1650 freestyle in a pool record time of 15:31.84. Connecticut College junior Tim Walsh posted his second win of the competition in the 200 backstroke (1:49.66) as Amherst posted three of the top five finishers in the event. Alex Fraser continued the rally with another win for the Jeffs in the 100 freestyle (45.07) as the competition drew tighter.

Williams stemmed the tide with a 200 breakstroke victory from Paul Dyrkacz in a NESCAC-record 2:00.35. The Ephs began to slowly pull away and capped the evening with a victory in the meet's final event - the 400 freestyle relay (3:02.31) - courtesy of Dyrkacz, Tom Vieth, Ben Wampler and Gary Roberson.

Other individual winners on the evening included a pair of freshman: Won Ho Chang of Bates in the 200 butterfly (1:52.13) and Johann Schmidt of Tufts in the three-meter diving competition (466.15).

Team Scores (Final)
1. Williams (1741.5)
2. Amherst (1614.5)
3. Tufts (1318)  
4. Middlebury (1028.5)
5. Connecticut College (704)
6. Bowdoin (677.5)
7. Bates (619)
8. Hamilton (607.5)
9. Trinity (458  )
10. Colby (338.5)
11. Wesleyan (333)

Sunday's Results
1650 Freestyle - Ryan Lichtenfels, Amherst (15:31.84) !
200 Backstroke - Timothy Walsh, Connecticut College (1:48.47)
100 Freestyle - Alex Fraser, Amherst (45.07)
200 Breaststroke - Paul Dyrkacz, Williams (2:00.35)*
200 Butterfly - Won Ho Chang, Bates (1:52.13)
Three-Meter Diving - Johann Schmidt, Tufts (466.15)
400 Freestyle Relay - Williams (3:02.31)

! - Greason Pool Record
* - NESCAC Record