SATURDAY RESULTS / FULL MEET RESULTS

HOLLAND, Mich. – Calvin had another record-breaking night on day four of the MIAA Championships presented by the Collegiate Credit Union. Senior Charles Platt (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North HS) completed an incredible conference meet, winning the 100 freestyle in a Calvin and MIAA record time of 43.15. The time breaks the previous Calvin record of 43.25 and the previous MIAA record of 43.56, both set by David Bajwa in 2025. Platt's time is a rare NCAA A' cut and ranks third on the NCAA III performance list.
Platt's win was his third individual title of the meet as he captured the 50 freestyle title Thursday and the 200 free crown on Friday. At the conclusion of the meet Saturday night, he was named the MIAA Men's Most Valuable Swimmer.

Platt later anchored Calvin's first place 400 freestyle relay team that clocked in with a season-best and NCAA B' cut qualifying time of 2:58.50.  Freshman Jackson Merkel (Grandville, Mich./Grandville HS) led off the relay and was followed by senior Jacob Ziegler (Toledo, Oh./St. John's Jesuit HS) and sophomore Carter Detweiler (Farmington Hills, Mich./Council Rock North HS). Calvin's B' relay of freshman David Gabrielle (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty HS), senior Zachary Logan (Byron Center, Mich./Byron Center HS), sophomore Andrew Taulbee (Reynoldsburg, Oh./Reynoldsburg HS) and freshman Kellen Morford (Medina, Oh./Medina HS) was 10^th in a season-best time of 3:04.91.

The Knights opened the meet with the 1650 freestyle and placed three in the top six led by sophomore Alex Bergsma (Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS) in second with a career-best time of 16:03.96, finishing just three-tenths of a second behind winner Joseph Engle in a furious finish. Freshman Evan Haney (Goshen, Ind./Northridge HS) was third in the race with a career-best time of 16:06.71. Junior Ryan Halberg (Novi, Mich./Northville HS) was sixth (16:24.67).  Freshman John Reeder (Colorado Springs, Colo./The Classical Academy) was ninth with a career-best time of 16:53.03 with junior Andrew Stimpert (Normal, Ill./Normal West HS) 10^th with a career-best time of 16:54.41.

Merkel then electrified the Holland Aquatics Center with a win in the 200 backstroke with a career-best and NCAA B' cut qualifying time of 1:45.70, just missing a school and MIAA record in the process. It came on the heels of a 100 backstroke title the night before. His time ranks fourth nationally. Ziegler placed second with a career-best time of 1:51.32 with freshman Antoine Douguet (Paris, France/ Ecole Diagonale) fifth with a career-best time of 1:54.41. Junior Ben Wicchart (Lockport, NY/Starpoint HS) was 10^th (1:59.66).

Ziegler had a big night, winning the 200 butterfly with a career-best time of 1:51.16, edging Nick Suranyi of Hope by fourth-tenths of a second for the win. It marked the fifth straight year a Calvin swimmer has won the MIAA men's 200 butterfly title. Freshman Evan Nelson (Ada, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) was seventh (1:58.15) and Wichhart eighth (1:59.99). Reeder won the consolation final in a time of 2:0-0.23 with Bergsma 13^th (2:06.08).

Calvin grabbed a 3-4-7-8 finish in the championship final of the 200 breaststroke led by Taulbee who placed third (2:03.44) with senior Caleb Gemmen (Mentor, Oh./Home School) fourth (2:03.45), junior Josh Krampe (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Northern HS) seventh (2:04.49) and Yakubowski eighth (2:08.54). Sophomore Cardin Nguyen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Cheyenne Mountain) won the consolation final in a ninth place time of 2:11.79.

Calvin's three-year run as MIAA overall team champions came to an end as the Knights finished second with 1,125 points with Hope winning the league title with 1,215.5 points.

COACHES COMMENT: "One of the best and most fun (MIAA) meets I have coached," said Calvin head swim coach Dan Gelderloos. Alex Bergsma lit a fire under with a crazy swim in the mile (1650 free), almost pulling the upset. After that we had big swims all night long all the way down to the 400 free relays which saw both our men's and women's teams qualify for the NCAAs. So proud of our team energy this weekend."

FINAL MIAA TEAM SCORES

Hope 1,215.5
Calvin 1,125
Kalamazoo 402
Alma 365.5
Albion 364
Olivet 20