Results
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Calvin University women's swimming and diving opened the 2026-27 season with the fifth annual Be Better; Invitational at Canham Natatorium at the University of Michigan.
The event, in its fifth year, honored the life of former University of Michigan and Holland Christian High School swimmer Ian Kiskelley, who passed away in 2020. The meet is meant to promote the Be Better; Foundation, which was started by the Miskelley family, to promote mental health.
The meet featured Calvin, Michigan and Hope College, was not scored officially and featured both traditional and non-traditional events.
The 200 Medley Relay was the first event of the meet and the Calvin 'A' relay of
Emma Merkel (Grandville, Mich./Grandville),
Gracie Ganger (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe),
Grace Schutter (Shelby Twp., Mich./Dwight D. Eisenhower) and
Ella Andrews (Carmel, Ind./Heritage Christian took third place in a time of 1:50.3.
In the traditional individual events, Merkel and
Zoe Poe (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette Twp.) each finished fourth in their swims. Merkel took fourth in the 100 Backstroke in a time of 58.19 and Poe finished the 500 Freestyle in a time of 5:17.52.
Grace Van De Burg (Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville) also took home a top-five finish in the 500 Freestyle with a time of 5:27.28.
Ganger took fifth in the 100 Breaststroke, while
Naomi Aldana (Villa Park, Ill./Homeschool) finished fifth in the 100 Butterfly.
Following traditional events, the teams competed in non-traditional events that included mixed relays, 25 yard mystery shootouts and underwater with fins races before finishing with the 400 Freestyle Relay. In that event, the 'A' Calvin relay of Andrews,
Maria Heeres (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian), Poe and Merkel finished fourth in a time of 3:40.08.
NEXT UP: Calvin swimming and diving will return to competition on Saturday, October 17, when it competes in a home triangular meet against Grand Valley State University and Saginaw Valley State University at Venema Aquatic Center at 1:00 PM.
