Beckwith earns honorable mention All-America honors in 100 back

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Olivet College senior Kellen Beckwith (Farmington Hills/North Farmington) secured honorable mention All-America honors with a 16th-place finish in the 100 backstroke at the 2011 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships. The four-day event was held inside the Allan Jones Aquatic Center and on the campus of University of Tennessee.

During the morning preliminaries of the 100 backstrioke, Beckwith posted the 14th fastest and a season-best time of 50.44 seconds. He slowed to 50.83 seconds in the finals.

Beckwith also swam in the 200 individual medley and 200 backstroke at the national championships. In the 200 IM, he posted a time of 1:59.17. Despite being the slowest overall time, his 27.65 second split in the backstroke leg was seventh-fastest among the 51 entries. Beckwith completed the 200 backstroke in 1:52.63, capping an outstanding swimming career for him.

Beckwith is the most decorated male swimmer in school history. He is a four-time All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association selection. In the 100 backstroke at the national championships, Beckwith earned All-American honors in 2009 and 2010 and honorable mention All-American honors in 2008 and 2011. A mathematics major with a 4.0 GPA, he also received the NCAA Elite 88 award the last two seasons.