2017-18: Earned a top-eight finish in the same event with a new career-best time of 9:36.28, nearly 17 seconds better than his prior top time. Competed in the CSCAA National Collegiate Open Water Championships. Carson-Newman would finish the race with three inside the top-20, with Casey Charles and Marcelo Figueiredo coming in behind Howell at 12th and 15th respectively. The Eagles held a total of 5 swimmers in the top-25 en route to finishing as the No. 1 D2 team in the country.