2024-25 Men's Swimming and Diving Preview

The Hope College men's swimming and diving team aims to build off its most successful season at the national level in four years.

The Flying Dutchmen finished 23rd at the 2023 NCAA Division III Championships, their highest place at nationals since a 17th-place effort in 2009. Hope also delivered five College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America All-America performances.

Four of those All-Americans are back in the pool this season. Head coach Jake Taber likes the promise he sees in the Flying Dutchmen.

"I think we are a pretty deep and pretty balanced team," Taber said. "We're coming off a conference championship meet from a year ago where we saw a lot of improvement. The team is very tough and committed to each other. I'm excited about the roster we have."

Roster

The Flying Dutchmen feature a roster of 35 with seven seniors, six juniors, 10 sophomores and 12 freshmen.

Four of last season's five All-American swimmers anchor the lineup: senior Colin Kalkman (Zeeland, Michigan / Holland Christian HS), junior Henry Booker (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville), and sophomores Graham Eisenmann (Ozark, Missouri / Ozark) and Christian Hoeksema (Holland, Michigan / Holland Christian).

The Flying Dutchmen earned Second Team All-America honors last season in the 200-yard medley, 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays.

MIAA 100 breaststroke champion Christian Dunaitis (Commerce Township, Michigan / Detroit Catholic Central) returns for the Hope. The senior won the event at the league meet for the second time in three years in 2023.

Dunaitis, Kalkman and Eisenmann were selected as 2024 CSCAA Scholar All-Americans.

Dunaitis and Kalkman are returning All-MIAA selections along with senior swimmer Conner Halberg (Novi, Michigan / Northville), sophomore swimmer Alex Pierce (Oswego, Illinois / Oswego) and sophomore swimmer Nick Suranyi (Novi, Michigan / Novi).

Coaching Staff

Head coach: Jake Taber, seventh season
Diving coach: Rebecca Garza
Assistant coaches: Dave Jolly, Madison Whitman

Schedule

The Flying Dutchmen are scheduled to compete in 12 meets this season, beginning with the third annual Be Better; Invitational on Friday, Oct. 4, at 4 p.m. at the Holland Aquatic Center.

The Be Better; non-profit organization walks alongside athletes, systems of care, families and individuals to improve mental wellness and address mental illness and suicidality.

Be Better; honors the memory of Ian Miskelley of Holland, a beloved son, brother, friend, and talented Holland High School and University of Michigan swimmer, who died by suicide in 2020.

Hope also has five more non-league meets, including the annual D3Shootout at the University of Chicago on Friday-Saturday, Nov. 8-9, and the Total Performance Invitational hosted by Kenyon College (Ohio) on Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 21-23.

Hope also competes in the MIAA Relays on Friday, Oct. 18, at 5 p.m. at Calvin University and three MIAA dual meets: Friday, Oct. 25, at 5:30 p.m. vs. Albion College and Alma College at the Holland Aquatic Center; Saturday, Jan. 25, at 1 p.m. vs. Kalamazoo College and The University of Olivet at Kalamazoo; and Friday, Feb. 7, at 5 p.m. at Calvin.

The MIAA Championships are Wednesday-Saturday, Feb. 19-22, at Calvin.

The NCAA Division III Championships are Wednesday-Saturday, March 19-22, in Greensboro, N.C.

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