EVANSVILLE, IN – Antonie Pieterse opened the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships with a strong performance in the 50-yard Freestyle event for the Roberts Wesleyan University Men's Swimming and Diving team.

The sophomore swam his first race at the championships Wednesday morning and finished first in his heat with a new school-record time of 19.91 seconds. The time had him among the top 16 swimmers in the event until the final heat.

Pieterse slipped to 21st overall in the final standings with the top 16 advancing to the evening finals session.

Two of his events will take place Thursday as the 100-yard Butterfly and 200-yard Freestyle preliminary races will take place in the morning session.