The Hope College men's swimming & diving team is seeded first in the 400-yard freestyle relay and the 200 butterfly at tonight's Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championships.
The Flying Dutchmen earned their spot when senior Christopher Waechter of Ventura, California (Foothill Technology), junior Trevor Billinghurst of Spring Lake, Michigan (Spring Lake HS), junior Samuel Gallmeyer of Grand Rapids, Michigan (East Grand Rapids HS), and junior Duncan MacLean of Grand Rapids, Michigan (East Grand Rapids HS), clocked a preliminary time of 3 minutes, 11.42 seconds Saturday at Holland Community Aquatic Center.
Freshman Charlie Emmert of Grand Blanc, Michigan (Flint Powers Catholic HS), swam to the No. 1 seed in the 200 butterfly.
Junior Nathan Rommel of Overland Park, Kansas (Blue Valley NW HS), reached the 200 butterfly championship final with a fourth-place preliminary swim of 1:57.05.
Photo of Nathan Rommel by Tom Renner
Four qualified for the 200 backstroke championship final: freshman Mike Wurster of Indianapolis, Indiana (Brebeuf Jesuit Prep), in third at 1:54.38, sophomore Christian Otteman of Zeeland, Michigan (Zeeland East HS), in fourth at 1:57.34, sophomore Danny Sullivan of Columbus, Ohio (Upper Arlington HS), in fifth at 1:57.90 and Waechter in seventh at 2:00.24.
Junior Jeff Zita of Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian HS), qualified for the 200 breaststroke championship final. He placed third at 2:08.25.
Two made it to the consolation final: senior Erick Skaff of Flint, Michigan (Carman-Ainsworth HS) in 12th at 2:04.87 and junior Micah Sall of Zeeland, Michigan (Zeeland East HS) in 13th at 2:07.72.
Two advanced to the consolation final: freshman Nick Olen of Midland, Michigan (Lyons Township HS), in 11th at 2:12.55 and sophomore Trevor Wagoner of Hixson, Tennessee (McCalle HS), in 12th at 2:13.92.
Sophomore Ryan Johnson of Milford, Michigan (International Academy), is in the 100 freestyle championship final. He placed eighth during preliminaries with a time of 47.62.
Two made the consolation final: Gallmeyer in ninth at 47.93 and sophomore Jonathon Maat of Holland, Michigan (Holland HS), in 12th at 48.10.
