RESULTS

HOLLAND, Mich. – The Calvin women's swimming and diving team had a record-breaking night and crowned one individual champion on the third night of competition of the MIAA Championships presented by the Collegiate Credit Union.

Junior Emma Merkel (Grandville, Mich./Grandville HS) won an electric 200 freestyle title on Friday night while junior teammate Elise Bajwa (Bethesda, Md./Brookewood HS) took second in the 100 breaststroke with a school record time of 1:02.64.

Merkel's win came against defending MIAA champion Laurel Wasiniak of Hope as she grabbed the lead midway through the race and held off a late charge by Wasiniak in the final 10 yards to win the race in a season-best and NCAA B' cut qualifying time of 1:50.04 with Wasiniak second in 1:50.99. Merkel won the race swimming out of lane three. It marked the first victory by a non-Hope swimmer in a swimming event at the meet which began Wednesday night. Merkel's time ranks 11^th nationally.

Merkel was part of a strong Calvin contingent in the 200 freestyle as sophomore Maria Heeres (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian HS) was fifth in a career-best time of 1:56.22. Freshman Avery Russell (Battle Creek, Mich./Battle Creek Lakeview HS) was eighth (2:01.50). Senior Kristin Winkle (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) was 10^th (2:02.57), freshman Sara Algera (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian HS) 11^th (2:04.05) and senior Kailee Turner (Monroe, Mich./Monroe HS) 12^th (2:05.06).

Bajwa's record-breaking 100 breaststroke race was part of a 2-5-6 Calvin finish in the race. Bajwa made a bid for the lead late in the race, finishing just behind Hope's Greta Gidley who won the race in 1:01.89. Sophomore Gracie Ganger (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippercanoe HS) Was fifth (1:06.08) with sophomore Eloise Harrison (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern HS) sixth (1:07.06). The times by Ganger and Harrison were both career best times. Junior Anya Hopek (DeWitt, Mich./DeWitt HS) added a 12^th place time of 1:11.88.

Calvin opened the night with a sizzling 200 medley relay performance in the championship finals as the relay team of senior Madi McNearney (Riverside, Mo./Park Hill South HS), Bajwa, senior Elyse Radawski (Jenison, Mich./Jenison HS) and senior Meghan Bengelink (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian HS) took second with a strong NCAA B' cut qualifying time of 1:42.72 that ranks in the top 15 nationally. Calvin's B' relay team of sophomore Grace Schutter (Shelby Township, Mich/ Dwight D. Eisenhower), Ganger, sophomore Alea Casipit (Midland, Mich./Herbert Henry Dow) and sophomore Ella Andrews (Carmel, Ind./Heritage Christian HS) won the consolation final with a season-best time of 1:46.91.

In the 400 IM, sophomore Zoe Poe (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette Twp.) powered her way to a fourth place finish in a time of 4:34.89 while senior Elizabeth Dylewski (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Bloomfield Hills) was 11^th (5:02.07).

Calvin placed four in the championship finals of the 100 butterfly with Radawski fourth (57.57), Schutter fifth (58.26), Casipit sixth (59.59) and freshman Holly VanderWeele (San Antonio, Tx/Great Hearts Monte Vista North) seventh (59.64). Sophomore Vivian Rizer (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich./Grosse Pointe Farms) won the consolation final in 1:01.39, taking ninth place along the way.

Calvin capped off the evening with the 100 backstroke with Andrews sixth (1:00.06), McNearney seventh (1:00.12) and Bengelink eighth (1:00.71). Schutter won the consolation final (1:00.62) with senior Tori Beigle (Petoskey, Mich./Petoskey HS) adding an 11^th place finish in a time of 1:03.18.

Calvin sits second in the team standings with 652 points with rival Hope leading the standings with 874 points.

MIAA TEAM STANDINGS THROUGH DAY THREE

Hope 874
Calvin 652
Kalamazoo 310
Alma 284
Albion 237
Olivet 87

COACHES COMMENT: "This proved to be our best day of the meet yet," said Calvin head swim coach Dan Gelderloos. "We built some momentum in the morning with a big team effort from top to bottom. We got some of the dividends this evening with points, school records and national cuts. I'm very happy with our team. It was a very good night for us."

NEXT UP: The final day of competition begins on Saturday with prelims set for 10 a.m. and championship finals set for the early afternoon with the 1650 freestyle and the bulk of the finals following at 5 p.m.