GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Calvin men's swimming and diving team hosted the Be Better; Invitational on Saturday inside the Venema Aquatic Center. In addition to Calvin, teams competing included squads from the University of Michigan, Davenport and Hope.

The meet was brought together to celebrate the life of former University of Michigan and Holland Christian High School swimmer Ian Miskelley who passed in 2020. Miskelley was a teammate of members of each of the four competing schools. The meet also shone a spotlight on the Be Better; Foundation, started by the Miskelley family, who spoke on the subject of mental wellness prior to the competition.

The competition included traditional and non-traditional events and was unscored.

Junior Maggie Farrell (Portage, Mich./Portage Central HS) was sixth in the 100 butterfly in a time of 57.80 that currently ranks seventh nationally in Division III.

Junior Isabella Gable (Greenville, Oh./Arcanum-Butler HS) was fifth in the 100 backstroke with a time of 58.71 that ranks 10^th in Division III. In the 100 breaststroke, sophomore Haley Thier (Scranton, Pa./Scranton Prep) was fourth in a season-best time of 1:07.27 that currently ranks 16^th in Division III.

Sophomore Sydney Sonday (Portage, Mich./Portage Central HS) was sixth in the 50 free with a time of 24.71 that ranks 24^th nationally.

In the non-traditional 5x100 freestyle event, Farrell was fourth (4:52.95) and Sonday fifth (5:01.98).

In the 100 mystery IM (non-traditional), freshman Kristin Winkle (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) was sixth (1:04.18).

In the mixed, co-ed (non-traditional) 8x50 relay, the Calvin team of senior Claire Sytsma (Ada, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS), junior Natalie Fisher (Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville HS), sophomore David Bajwa (Potomac, Md./The Heights School) and freshman Timothy Hays (Arlington, Il./Prospect HS) took fifth in a time of 3:34.12.

In the 4x100 IM, freshman Madilyn McNearney (Riverside, Mo./Park Hill South HS) took fifth in a time of 4:27.70.

Calvin's 200 medley relay team of Gable, Thier, Farrell and Sonday took fourth with a time of 1:48.09. That time ranks fifth nationally.

COACHES COMMENT: "It was a great day where hopefully a lot of lives were impacted with the message that the Miskelley family brought to this meet," said Calvin head swim coach Dan Gelderloos. "The message of the Be Better; Foundation brought everyone together before the meet started and that was great to see. I also saw athletes having fun and celebrating the great sport of swimming and diving. I know that Ian loved swimming and this was a great way to honor his memory."

NEXT UP: Calvin returns to action on November 4 and 5 when it hosts its own Calvin Quad Invitational.