Results
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The 19th-ranked Calvin University women's swimming and diving team finished the first of three sessions of the Calvin Quad Meet in first place on Friday night at Venema Aquatic Center.
Calvin finished the night with a total of 452 points. Carthage College (286) is in second place, followed by Ohio Northern University (146) and Albion College (126).
The night started with the 200 Freestyle Relay, where the Calvin 'A' relay of
Meghan Bengelink (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian),
Ella Andrews (Carmel, Ind./Heritage Christian),
Elise Bajwa (Bethesda, Md./Brookewood School) and
Emma Merkel (Grandville, Mich./Grandville) won with a time of 1:35.1 that ranks as the second-fastest time in NCAA III this season. The 'B' relay of
Maria Heeres (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian),
Kristin Winkle (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian),
Anya Hopek (DeWitt, Mich./DeWitt) and
Holly VanderWeele (San Antonio, Texas/Great Hearts Monte Vista North) finished second in a time of 1:38.31.
The individual events started with the 500 Freestyle, where the Knights swept the top finishes and had seven of the top 10.
Zoe Poe (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette Twp.) led the way in a time of 5:06.16 to take first place with a time that ranks sixth in NCAA III this season. Merkel took second in 5:10.65, followed by
Avery Russell (Battle Creek, Mich./Battle Creek Lakeview) in third in 5:22.63.
The 200 IM was next and the Knights once again took the top two finishes.
Gracie Ganger (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe) took first in 2:12.55, followed by
Eloise Harrison (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) in second with a time of 2:15.21.
Bengelink led the way in the 50 Freestyle as the Knights recorded the top five times in the event. Bengelink' winning time of 23.85 is a top 10 time in NCAA III this season. Andrews (24.08), Bajwa (24.29), VanderWeele (24.51) and Heeres (24.73) rounded out the top five.
The night in the pool ended with the 400 Medley Relay. The Calvin 'A' team of Merkel, Bajwa, VanderWeele and Andrews won in a time of 3:53.63 that ranks fifth in NCAA III. The 'B' relay of
Madi McNearney (Riverside, Mo./Park Hill South), Ganger,
Elyse Radawski (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) and Heeres took second in 4:01.56.
In diving competition off the three-meter board,
Veronica Skipper (Chicago, Ill./Northside College Prep) took second with 450.45 points.
Kylie Grieser (Ida, Mich./Ida) took sixth with 299.7.
COACH'S COMMENT: "We had a great week leading up to the meet with some really good practices and prep for a couple days beforehand and I think the team is embracing the skills that they are learning," Calvin head swimming and diving coach
Dan Gelderloos said. "More importantly, we're kind of swimming in waves. Lots of kids swimming together who are fighting for the same cause and it's showing up on the scoreboard."
NEXT UP: Calvin swimming and diving will finish the Calvin Quad Meet tomorrow (Saturday, November 1) when it hosts two sessions at Venema Aquatic Center. The first session is scheduled to start at 10:00 AM. The second session will start at 4:30 PM.
