The Hope College men's swimming & diving team has qualified nine swimmers and one relay for title races at the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championships tonight.

The four-day meet at Calvin College resumes at 5:30 p.m. with championship and consolation races.

Photo of Alexander Perkins courtesy of Steve Johnson.

Coach John Patnott's Flying Dutchmen hold the top seed in one event.

The 200 medley relay of freshman Dan Sullivan of Columbus, Ohio (Upper Arlington HS), senior Alexander Perkins of Brighton (Howell HS), freshman Zach Diener of Lake Orion (Lake Orion HS) and freshman Ryan Johnson of Milford (International Academy) clocked a top time in preliminaries of 1 minute, 38.23 seconds.

Sophomore Jeff Zita of Holland (Holland Christian HS) and Perkins went 2-3 in the 100 breaststroke preliminary with times of 56.61 and 56.88.

Senior Jake Hunt of Muskegon (Mona Shores HS) led three Hope swimmers to qualify for the championship race in the 100 butterfly. Hunt had a time of 50.55, while junior William Greenlee of Northville (Northville HS) placed seventh at 52.38 and sophomore Nathaniel Rommel of Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley NW HS), was eighth at 52.73.

Diener and Johnson finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 200 freestyle preliminary with times of 1:44.16 and 1:44.35.

Freshman Christian Otteman of Zeeland (Zeeland East HS) finished sixth in the 400 individual medley preliminary by swimming 4:16.33.

Sullivan took eighth in the 100 backstroke preliminary with a time of 54.14.

Hope is second in the overall standings with 243 points. Calvin (290) leads.

Click here for the MIAA Championships homepage.