Sara Kraus Records Nation's Fastest Swim in a Second Backstroke Event

Junior Sara Kraus, pictured

Hope College's Sara Kraus can swim the backstroke with the best of them.

The junior from Rockford, Michigan (Rockford HS) clocked the fastest, 200-yard backstroke in NCAA Division III this season with a time of 2 minutes, 1.22 seconds on Saturday at the D3Shootout in Chicago.

On Friday, Kraus recorded the nation's top swim in the 100 backstroke at 56.06 seconds.

Kraus, an exercise science major, helped the 10th-ranked Flying Dutch finish fourth at the seven-team, two-day meet that featured six ranked teams.

No. 5 University of Chicago placed first with 510 points. No. 11 Pomona Pitzer (Calif.) finished runner-up with 456 points — 12 more than third-place and 19th-ranked Trinity (Texas).

Hope totaled 425 points and was followed by No. 16 Washington University in St. Louis with 412 points, No. 17 Swarthmore (Pa.) with 377 points and No. 22 SUNY-Geneseo with 352 points.

In the 200 backstroke, the Flying Dutch swam the two fastest times of the meet. Sophomore Katie Hermann (Canton, Michigan / Mercy) won the B final by posting a swim of 2:03.24.

Kraus also led off Hope's victorious 400 medley relay. Freshman Anna Stolle, junior Greta Gidley (Franklin, Michigan / Mercy) and sophomore Bella Turner (Chelsea, Michigan / Chelsea) touched the ball at 3:50.98. It is the second-fastest time in Division III this season.

Gidley continued her impressive weekend by swimming the nation's second-fastest time in the 100 butterfly at 55.63. The elementary education major finished runner-up with Alex Turvey of Pomona Pitzer, who touched the wall at 55.27.

Gidley took second in the 200 individual medley with a swim of 2:04.47. Kraus won the B final at 2:06.00.

On Friday, Gidley clocked the nation's best time in the 100 butterfly.

In 3-meter diving, senior Sophia Farbarzhevich (Grand, Rapids, Michigan / Forest Hills Northern) finished third for the Flying Dutch with a total of 201.70 points.

In the 100 freestyle, Turner clocked a fourth-place effort of 52.64. Senior Delaney Wesolek (Bay City, Michigan / John Glenn) was 13th at 53.58.

In the mixed 400 freestyle relay, Hope finished fifth as freshman Graham Eisenmann (Ozark, Montana / Ozark), junior Conner Halberg (Novi, Michigan / Northville), Hermann and Wesolek teamed for a time of 3:22.57.

In the 500 freestyle, sophomore Ashlea Swingewood touched the wall in fifth place at 5:08.84. Junior Grace Wesley (Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan / Grosse Pointe North) was 15th at 5:20.83.

In the 200 breaststroke, Hermann finished fifth at 2:225.84. Stolle was 14th at 2:29.06.

In the 200 freestyle relay, Hope placed seventh as Turner, Wesolek, Stolle and Wesley recorded a swim of 1:39.39.

The Flying Dutch's next event is Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 16-18, at the Kenyon College (Ohio) Invitational. Kenyon is ranked No. 1 in Division III.

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