Results
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The 19th-ranked Calvin University women's swimming and diving team topped 12th-ranked Hope College 188.5-108.5 in a dual meet at Venema Aquatic Center on Saturday.
The meet opened with the 200 medley relay, with the Calvin 'A' relay of
Emma Merkel (Wyoming, Mich./Grandville),
Elise Bajwa (Bethesda, Md./Brookewood School),
Maggie Farrell (Kalamazoo, Mich./Portage Central/Denison) and
Sydney Sonday (Portage, Mich./Portage Central/KVCC) taking first place with a time of 1:42.84. The Calvin 'B' relay of
Madi McNearney (Parkville, Mo./Park Hill South),
Gracie Ganger (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe),
Elyse Radawski (Grand Rapids, Mich./Jenison) and
Meghan Bengelink (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian) finished second in a time of 1:46.31.
In individual events, three Calvin swimmers came away with first-place finishes in multiple events, including Merkel in the 200 freestyle (1:51.22) and 200 backstroke (2:04.22), with McNearney taking second in the 200 backstroke in 2:09.44.
Farrell won both the 100 backstroke (56.84) and 200 individual medley (2:08.13), while
Zoe Poe (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette Twp.) won the 200 butterfly (2:10.69) and 500 freestyle (5:04.77).
Rebecca Streelman (Summerville, S.C./Homeschool) finished in third in the 500 freestyle in 5:25.69.
Bajwa led four Calvin swimmers at the top in the 100 breaststroke. Bajwa took first in 1:05.07, followed by Ganger (1:06.88) in second, Radawski (1:08.23) in third and
Eloise Harrison (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) (1:08.5) in fourth. Harrison also placed second in the 200 breaststroke in 2:30.21.
Sonday won the 50 freestyle in 23.62 added a second place finish in the 100 freestyle (52.1).
Ella Andrews (Carmel, Ind./Heritage Christian School) finished third in the 100 freestyle (53.27) and tied for third in the 50 freestyle (24.23).
Grace Schutter (Shelby Township, Mich./Dwight D. Eisenhower) won the 100 butterfly in 58.57, with Radawski (58.8) following just behind her in second place.
Megan Pankratz (Palatine, Ill./William Fremd) won the 1000 freestyle in 11:17.6.
The 400 freestyle relay was the last swimming event of the evening, and the Knights 'A' team of Sonday, Merkel, Bengelink and Farrell finished first in 3:27.34. The 'B' relay of Andrews, Radawski, Poe and
Maria Heeres (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian) took third in 3:43.15.
Veronica Skipper (Chicago, Ill./Northside College Prep) led the Calvin divers with a first place finish off the three-meter board (256.5 points) and a second place finish off the one-meter board (244.6).
Kiah Heminghous (Midland, Mich./Midland) took third off the three-meter board (221.17).
COACH'S QUOTE: "We had a lot of things going on, from people trying to jockey for scoring rosters at MIAAs, to 'A' and 'B' relays, to people trying to make the conference championship cut times and we had three or four of those make it, which was awesome to see," Calvin head swimming and diving coach
Dan Gelderloos said. "We had people putting up times that are going to put them in position for scoring spots, so up and down the roster we had people do some meaningful stuff tonight. We also held true to ourselves and swam to ourselves like a good Calvin team with loud cheers and fast swims and came away with a really good night."
NEXT UP: Calvin swimming will return to action on Wednesday, February 19, when it starts the four-day MIAA Swimming and Diving Championships. The meet will be held at Venema Aquatic Center.
