Prelims Results / Championships Results

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Calvin men's swimming and diving team came up with four All-American swims on Friday at the NCAA III Championships to bump its point total to 84 points, good for 12^th place in the team standings.

The Knights were led by the one-two punch of senior Charles Platt (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North HS) and freshman Jackson Merkel (Grandville, Mich./Grandville HS).

Both individuals claimed All-America (top-eight) honors in the 100 backstroke with Platt taking third with a school-record time of 46.68 in the championship finals with Merkel placing fifth with a career-best time of 47.32. The All-America swim was the second in as many nights for Platt in an individual event, joining the third place finish he achieved the night before in the 200 freestyle. His third place finish is the second-best individual finish by a Calvin men's swimmer in the race, surpassed only by the second place finish by Mike Lubbers in 1996. Platt actually broke his previous school record in the morning prelims with a time of 46.95 that was good for the top seed in the championship finals. He then dropped nearly three-tenths of a second in the championship final, finishing in third place.

Merkel placed fourth in the morning prelims in a time of 47.63, a tenth of a second off his previous-best time set leading off the 400 medley relay Wednesday night. He then cranked out a career-best effort of 47.32 for a fifth place individual finish, marking the first time Calvin has had two of its swimmers place in the top-eight championship finals in the race at the national meet.

Earlier in the meet, Merkel, senior Caleb Gemmen (Mentor, Oh./Home School), freshman David Gabrielle (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty HS) and Platt placed 13^th in the 200 medley relay in a time of 1:28.39 that earned the group Division III Second Team All-America honors.

Calvin's 800 freestyle relay team of junior Ryan Halberg (Novi, Mich./Northville HS), Merkel, Platt and senior Jacob Ziegler (Toledo, Oh./St. John's Jesuit HS) then placed 11^th in a time of 6:36.59 that also earned the group Division III Second Team All-America honors.

Gemmen also competed in the prelims of the 100 breaststroke, placing 28^th in 55.56.

COACHES COMMENT: "Solid night and fought hard," said Calvin head swimming and diving coach Dan Gelderloos. "We didn't hold all of our seed (places) but swam several best times and a school record tonight. We fought all night long and that is all you can ask."

NEXT UP: The final day of competition will begin with prelims on Saturday at 10 a.m. with championship finals to follow at 6 p.m.
 

Calvin Men's Swimming & Diving 100 Backstroke NCAA III All-Americans

2^nd     Mike Lubbers                 1996

5^th      Mike Lubbers                 1995

6^th      Mike Lubbers                 1994

7^th      Mike Lubbers                 1993

4^th      Ben Holstege                  2019

16th   Noah Holstege                2023

10th    Charles Platt                   2024

6th      David Bajwa                    2024

9th     Charles Platt                    2025 

5th     Jackson Merkel                2026

3rd     Charles Platt                    2026