Ben Catton Repeats as MIAA Champion in the 100-Yard Butterfly, Is Runner-Up in the 100 Backstroke

The Flying Dutchmen head into the final day in second place.

Junior Ben Catton, pictured

Ben Catton flew into elite company among the rich history of Hope College men's swimming and diving.

The junior from Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian HS) became the second member of the Flying Dutch to repeat as MIAA men's champion in the 100-yard butterfly.

Catton clocked a winning time of 47.98 seconds on Friday during Day 3 of the MIAA Championships hosted by Calvin University. In the day's event, Catton joined Ryan Nelis, who won three consecutive titles in the event from 2007-09.

"Ben went out a little more relaxed and that created the opportunity to swim really well in the back half," head coach Jake Taber said.

Led by Catton, Hope maintained a firm hold on second place in the overall standings with 636 points.

The Flying Dutchmen added five second-place finishes on Friday. Hope trails first-place Calvin by 115 points heading into the finale on Saturday, Feb. 18, with 10 a.m. preliminaries and 5 p.m. finals.

Hope is ahead of Albion College (349), Kalamazoo College (318), Olivet College (191), and Alma College (161).

"We talked authentically last night about being in the moment. That's what our bench looked like today," Taber said. "We were into the meet. We were invested. We were absolutely having a blast. I don't see how any team here is having more fun than we are."

Catton was one of four Flying Dutchmen to swim in the 100 butterfly final. Sophomore Cooper Osgood (Saline, Michigan / Saline) finished sixth with a swim of 49.66 seconds. Sophomore Joel Cummins (Osceola, Indiana / Penn) took seventh at 50.63. Senior JT Nissen (Spring, Texas / Klein Collins) was eighth at 51.18.

In the 'B' Final, senior Ted Lockett (Mason, Ohio / St. Xavier) posted a top swim of 51.13 and placed ninth overall.

Catton also swam a second-place time in the 100 backstroke of 49.33 seconds. Sophomore Colin Kalkman (Zeeland, Michigan / Holland Christian) finished third at 49.46.

In the 400 individual medley, sophomore Dallas Fisher (Highland, Michigan / Detroit Catholic Central) recorded a runner-up swim of 4:02.10.

Junior Conor East (Farmington Hills, Michigan / North Farmington) finished fourth at 4:03.78. Freshman Bishop Carl (Cincinnati, Ohio / Sycamore) took fifth at 4:08.54.

In the 'B' Final, junior Jake Peterson (San Antonio, Texas / Winston Churchill) placed 11th overall with a time of 4:13.16.

In the 100 breaststroke, sophomore Christian Dunaitis (Commerce Township, Michigan / Detroit Catholic Central) posted a second-place swim of 55.59 seconds.

Lockett finished fourth at 56.67. Junior Reilly LaGrand (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Catholic Central) took sixth at 56.96. Senior Jack Muller (Queensland, Michigan / Meridian State) was eighth at 58.33.

In the 200 freestyle, sophomore Conner Halberg (Novi, Michigan / Northville) recorded a runner-up effort of 1:40.28 during an all-Hope-Calvin final.

Senior Bailey Smith (Battle Creek, Michigan / Lakeview) finished fourth at 1:41.68. Sophomore Alex Boersema (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) took seventh at 1:42.64. Sophomore Joey Grasman (Holland, Michigan / Holland Christian) was 1:43.38.

In Friday's event, the 200 medley relay, the Flying Dutchmen placed runner-up with Kalkman, Dunaitis, Catton, and Osgood going 1:30.16.

In the 'B' final, Hope went 10th overall as Nissen, LaGrand, East, and Cummins finished in 1:34.05.

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