2020 MIAA Championships: Calvin Women Win By 10 Points, Albion Men Defend Title

2020 MIAA SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

The final two days was a tough battle for both genders of the 2020 MIAA Championships held at the Venema Aquatic Center in Grand Rapids, MI. On the men’s side, the Albion men had a monstrous Saturday night that propelled them past Calvin, defending their 2019 MIAA title. The Calvin women, who lost their 14-year streak to Hope last year, re-gained the MIAA team title at their home pool on Saturday by 10 points.

Men’s Meet

Final Team Scores

Friday

The Albion Brits started Friday in third place but utilized their deep field to catch up to the first-place Calvin Knights. In the 200 medley relay, Albion took the win at 1:30.12, powered by Evan Wonner‘s 21.46 fly split and Len Ciemniecki‘s 19.99 free anchor. The title-winning relay currently ranks 12th in Division III. Calvin’s relay took second at 1:30.99, yet swam a 1:29.95 during a time trial Saturday afternoon, ranking 9th in D3.

Into the 100 breast, Albion senior Tyler Kimbrell completed a career 4-for-4 sweep in the 100 breast, sealing the title in 55.63. Kalamazoo’s Brenden French also swam under 56 seconds, clocking in the runner-up time of 55.97.

After taking the 50 free on Thursday, Calvin sophomore Noah Holstege carried on a family tradition by winning the 100 back in a sub-50 swim of 49.72. Albion senior Ian Moran (51.06) out-touched Calvin junior Colin Murphy (51.18) by 0.12s to lead a 2-5-6-8 finish for the Brits.

Saturday

Albion once again showcased their depth on Saturday, beginning with sophomore Connor Robertson leading an Albion 1-3-4-5 finish in the 200 back at 1:49.82. Shortly after, versatile Calvin junior Julian Iturbe (44.51) ran down 200 free champion Hope Dutchman Gabe Boonstra (44.93) in the 100 free. Boonstra’s season-best time now ranks 18th in D3, meanwhile, Iturbe’s season best of 44.30 sits in 5th.

Albion’s Kimbrell then capped his MIAA career with another 4-for-4 career sweep in the 200 breast (2:02.75), making that a perfect 4-year breaststroke sweep in the conference from 2017-2020. Junior teammate Jake Huttenlocher took a tight second place at 2:02.92. The Brits once again had 4 A-finalists, finishing 1-2-6-8 in the event.

In the final individual event, Albion’s Gerardo Huidobro led the Brits’ second 1-2-3 fly finish in the 200 fly, clocking in a 1:53.14. The meet then ended with the Calvin men winning the 400 free relay at 3:01.86. Calvin’s season best of 3:01.18 from December remains 8th in D3.

The Albion Brits then successfully defended their 2019 title with 933.50 points, making this their 3rd title in 4 years with the inclusion of their 2017 win.

Women’s Meet

Final Team Scores

Friday

Albion senior Rileigh Eding zipped to the early lead in the 100 fly final, but she slowly decelerated and it became a four-woman race during the finishing 10 yards. At the finish, Eding (57.12) touched out Calvin junior Jenna Oezer (57.20) by 0.08s for the MIAA title while Albion junior Tia Ulieme (57.24) settled for third place by 0.04s behind Oezer.

Hope then saw two back-to-back Dutchman wins, starting with Tarah Lang‘s 200 free victory (1:54.40). Shortly after, 200 IM champion Emma Schaefer went on to defend her 2019 title in the 100 breast with a 1:04.44.

After leading off the 200 medley relay (1:44.19) to victory, Calvin junior Hannah Chao stormed the 100 back to win her first individual MIAA title at 56.10. Hope senior Nicky McCann finished 0.26s behind Chao at 56.36 while Calvin senior Abbey Wellman sealed third place at 57.30. Looking at the D3 ranks, Chao sits in 17th while McCann is tied for 24th.

Saturday

After Hope’s Emma Engle won the 1650 free at 17:41.14, Calvin teammates Chao and Wellman duked it out in the 200 back final. At the finish, it was Chao who completed the backstroke sweep with her final time of 2:03.05. Wellman topped off her MIAA career with a valiant runner-up time of 2:03.75, finishing 2.52 seconds ahead of Hope’s Erin Emmert (2:06.27).

Albion’s Eding then tore up the 100 free final with a 51.81 to earn her 3rd MIAA title at her senior meet. Kalamazoo’s Erin Radermacher (52.66) finished 0.04s ahead of Calvin’s Gunderson (52.70) for second place. Transitioning to the 200 breast, Hope’s Schaefer would then earn her 3rd MIAA title over the weekend with her 200 breast win of 2:20.78.

The 200 fly final would feature a thrilling battle between Hope’s Emmert and Albion’s Samantha Swingewood. At the touch, it was Swingewood who took out Emmert by 0.40s for her second MIAA title of the weekend at 2:07.00.

On the 1-meter diving boards, Calvin junior Hannabeth Magnussen completed a diving sweep with her MIAA title-winning score of 455.75 points.

In the 400 free relay, the Calvin Knights led from start to finish over the Kalamazoo Hornets. At the finish, the Calvin women would then seal the MIAA team title with a 3:31.07, Kalamazoo settled for second at 3:32.20. The Hope women would seal their runner-up team finish with their third-place time of 3:33.15.

2020 MIAA Swimming & Diving Champions: Men

Event Swimmer/Team Time
800 Free Relay Hope (Bailey Smith, Dan Clyde, Gabe Boonstra, Daniel Keith)
6:42.17 B**
200 Free Relay Calvin (Noah Holstege, Julian Iturbe, Jacob Heeres, Sam Norman) 1:21.09 B
500 Free Julian Iturbe (Calvin)
4:28.14 B**
200 IM Dan Clyde (Hope) 1:50.76
50 Free Noah Holstege (Calvin) 20.44 B
1M Diving Kamaron Wilcox (Hope) 447.60 pts
400 Medley Relay Hope (Daniel Keith, Jack Muller, Dan Clyde, Gabe Boonstra) 3:19.70 B
200 Medley Relay Albion (Cole Nelson, Tyler Kimbrell, Evan Wonner, Len Ciemniecki) 1:30.12 B
400 IM Julian Iturbe (Calvin) 3:59.25 B
100 Fly Evan Wonner (Albion) 49.15 B
200 Free Gabe Boonstra (Hope) 1:40.41 B
100 Breast Tyler Kimbrell (Albion) 55.63 B
100 Back Noah Holstege (Calvin) 49.72 B
3M Diving Kamaron Wilcox (Hope) 474.65 pts
1650 Free Bailey Smith (Hope) 16:02.91 B
200 Back Connor Robertson (Albion) 1:49.82 B
100 Free Julian Iturbe (Calvin) 44.51 B
200 Breast Tyler Kimbrell (Albion) 2:02.75 B
200 Fly Gerardo Huidobro (Albion) 1:53.14
400 Free Relay Calvin (Jacob Heeres, Julian Iturbe, Noah Holstege, Tim Randall) 3:01.86 B

**MIAA record, B (NCAA B Cut)

2020 MIAA Swimming & Diving Champions: Women

Event Swimmer/Team Time
800 Free Relay Hope (Emma Schaefer, Sydney Randall, Emily Kurt, Tarah Lang) 7:41.25 B
200 Free Relay Calvin (Emily Gunderson, Hannah Chao, Hannah Brown, Anna Weber) 1:35.04 B
500 Free Mary Trimble (Kalamazoo) 5:07.28
200 IM Emma Schaefer (Hope) 2:05.29 B
50 Free Rileigh Eding (Albion) 23.87
3M Diving Hannabeth Magnussen (Calvin)
438.20 pts
400 Medley Relay Hope (Erin Emmert, Emma Schaefer, Jenna Kloosterman, Emily Kurt) 3:52.76
200 Medley Relay Calvin (Hannah Chao, Sam Sonday, Valerie Edewaard, Emily Gunderson) 1:44.19 B
400 IM Samantha Swingewood (Albion) 4:32.29
100 Fly Rileigh Eding (Albion) 57.12
200 Free Tarah Lang (Hope) 1:54.40
100 Breast Emma Schaefer (Hope) 1:04.44 B
100 Back Hannah Chao (Calvin) 56.10 B
1M Diving Hannabeth Magnussen (Calvin)
455.75 pts
1650 Free Emma Engle (Hope) 17:41.14
200 Back Hannah Chao (Calvin) 2:03.05 B
100 Free Rileigh Eding (Albion) 51.81
200 Breast Emma Schaefer (Hope) 2:20.78 B
200 Fly Samantha Swingewood (Albion) 2:07.00
400 Free Relay Calvin (Hannah Chao, Hannah Brown, Valerie Edewaard, Emily Gunderson) 3:31.07

**MIAA record, B (NCAA B Cut)

Current NCAA Division III Top-25 Rankings (Courtesy of USA Swimming)

Coming Up for NCAA Division III Championship Season:

  • 2020 NCAA Division III Central Region Diving Championships: Feb. 28-29, Granville, OH
  • 2020 NCAA Division III Championships: Mar. 18-21, Greensboro, NC

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About Nick Pecoraro

Nick Pecoraro

Nick has had the passion for swimming since his first dive in the water in middle school, immediately falling for breaststroke. Nick had expanded to IM events in his late teens, helping foster a short, but memorable NCAA Div III swim experience at Calvin University. While working on his B.A. …

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