GVSU Men Win Eighth Straight GLIAC Title, Northern Michigan Women Triumph

2022 GLIAC Swimming & Diving Championships

The Grand Valley State men’s swimming and diving team won their eighth consecutive Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) title last weekend, while Northern Michigan won the women’s crown for the second time in three seasons.

Women’s Recap

The Northern Michigan women powered to the meet victory with 856.5 points, topping runner-up Wayne State (801.5) by 55.

NMU won 10 events over the four-day competition, including four relays, with two Wildcats claiming multiple individual races.

Spanish sophomore Meritxell Font Cantarero won both the 100 fly (55.73) and 200 fly (2:03.67), while freshman Heidi Billings topped the 200 back (1:59.19) and tied with fellow NMU first-year Camilla Carbona in the 100 back (55.73).

Also winning for the Wildcats were juniors Michaela Nelson in the 200 free (1:50.60) and Pilar Perello-Ferrer in the 100 free (51.26).

The top individual performer on the women’s side was Grand Valley State senior Samantha Laurich, who defended all three of her 2021 titles in the 200 breast (2:15.82), 200 IM (2:03.75) and 400 IM (4:22.34).

GVSU won the title in 2021, but fell to third this year as Wayne State edged them out by 17.5 points. Wayne State picked up a pair of wins from senior Julia Brunner in the 50 free (23.80) and junior Jordan Fox in the 500 free (4:56.42).

Final Team Scores

  1. Northern Michigan, 856.5
  2. Wayne State, 801.5
  3. Grand Valley State, 784
  4. Saginaw Valley State. 446
  5. Davenport, 411

Men’s Meet Recap

Grand Valley State left no doubt en route to winning their eighth straight men’s GLIAC title, but there was a late scoring change that impacted which teams finished second and third.

Wayne State was initially penciled as the runners-up, but after an error was discovered in some of the diving scores, Northern Michigan got bumped up to second by a single point, 585 to 584.

For GVSU, the team won eight events for the meet, including a trio from sophomore Eric Hieber, who repeated as the conference champion in the men’s 500 free (4:25.85), 1000 free (9:05.51) and 1650 free (15:26.31).

The Lakers also had two wins come from senior Keegan Hawkins, who swept the 200 IM (1:47.52) and 400 IM (3:50.96).

Also winning multiple individual events was Wayne State’s Michael Wolsek, Northern Michigan’s Roberto Camera and Saint Cloud State’s Raf Hendriks.

Wolsek, a sophomore, claimed the men’s 100 fly (46.59) and 100 free (44.19) while adding a runner-up finish to Saint Cloud State’s Abraham Townley (19.70) in the 50 free (19.88).

Camera, a junior, topped the 100 breast (54.34) and 200 breast (1:59.30), repeating his titles from last season, while Hendriks defended his 200 back crown (1:44.70) and also topped the field in the 100 back (48.04).

Final Team Scores

  1. Grand Valley State, 989
  2. Northern Michigan, 585
  3. Wayne State, 584
  4. Saint Cloud State, 436
  5. Saginaw Valley State, 403.5
  6. Davenport, 267
  7. Augustana, 245.5

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About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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