The Hope College women's swimming and diving team proved unbeatable in the pool yet again.
The 12th-ranked Flying Dutch capped a dominating effort on Saturday, winning their fourth consecutive MIAA championship by totaling 1,275 points over four days at the Holland Aquatic Center.Â
Hope finished ahead of runner-up Calvin University by 275 points. Albion College took third with 494 points and was followed by Kalamazoo College (407), Alma College (384) and The University of Olivet (224).
The meet was delayed for approximately 45 minutes near the end due to a medical emergency for a spectator in the stands. Hope and Calvin swam joint 400-yard freestyle relays together for the final event, then circled the pool holding hands to sing a post-meet hymn.
"To say I'm unbelievably proud of this team and what we saw tonight would be an understatement," head coach Jake Taber said. "It extends so far beyond just our whole Hope swimming and diving team here, but to every student-athlete, head coach, parent and spectator here at the Holland Aquatic Center. It was an unbelievable display of unity, hope and prayer. The way everyone came together is just something you don't see in sport very often."
After the meet, MIAA coaches juniors Greta Gidley (Franklin, Michigan / Mercy HS) and Abby Koops (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Forest Hills Northern) as the meet's top performers.
Gidley was selected as the league's Most Valuable Women's Swimmer, Koops the Most Valuable Women's Diver.
Junior Sara Kraus, a two-time MIAA Most Valuable Women's Swimmer, presented Gidley with her award and continued a Hope tradition.
"It was a really cool moment," Taber said. "It was fun because Greta didn't see it coming. We've had some unbelievable team players and teammates here who understand the whole idea that the team is bigger than themselves.Â
"This is exactly how Sara received her first MVP award. Senior captain Emma Schaefer surprised Sara [in 2022] having won the previous couple of times. Sara lit right up the same way Greta did."
Kraus and Koops delivered two of four event titles for Hope on Saturday.
The junior from Rockford, Michigan (Rockford) took first in the 200-yard backstroke by clocking a time of 2 minutes, 1.21 seconds.
Three teammates joined her in the 'A' final: 4. sophomore
Katie Hermann (Canton, Michigan / Mercy) at 2:03.70; 5. freshman
Emma Hartman (Mason, Ohio / Mason) at 2:05.84; and 6. freshman
Paige Potter (Lake Orion, Michigan / Lake Orion) at 2:06.22.
Koops led a group of six scoring Flying Dutch divers by winning on the 1-meter board with a total of 415.95 points. Koops won the 3-meter event on Thursday.
Senior Cameron Hamilton (Libertyville, Illinois / Libertyville) placed third with 389.50 points. Senior Sophia Farbarzhevich (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Forest Hills Northern took fourth with 382.05 points.
Hope's other point earners were: 5. freshman Laura Zupancic (Fort Collins, Colorado / Liberty Common) with 361.25 points; 7. sophomore Hope Weeda (Grandville, Michigan / Calvin Christian) with 330.20 points;Â and 8. junior Michaela Sander (Muskegon, Michigan / Mona Shores) with 329.15 points.
In the 1,650 freestyle, junior Norah Martin (Middleton, Wisconsin / Middleton) front a 1-2-3-4 sweep for the Flying Dutch by recording a swim of 17:44.60.
Martin was followed by 2. freshman Natalie Pitera (Livonia, Michigan / Stevenson) at 17:57.27; 3. junior Grace Wesley (Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan / Grosse Pointe North) at 18:06.34;Â and 4. senior Jess Estabrook (Carmel, Indiana / Carmel) at 18:11.86.
In the 200 butterfly, sophomore Ashlea Swingewood (Carmel, Indiana / Carmel) swam a winning time of 2:08.90 and led a 1-2-3 Hope sweep.
Wesley finished runner-up at 2:10.43. Pitera took third at 2:11.76.
In the 100 freestyle, Gidley recorded a second-place swim of 51.07.Â
Three teammates also competed in the 'A' final: 3. sophomore Laurel Wasiniak (Northville, Michigan / Northville) at 51.09; 4. sophomore Bella Turner (Chelsea, Michigan / Chelsea) at 51.23; and 7. senior Delaney Wesolek (Bay City, Michigan / John Glenn) at 52.82.
In the 200 breaststroke, freshman Anna Stolle (Fishers, Indiana / Hamilton Southeastern) clocked a third-place time of 2:20.70. Junior Lauren Ryle (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Catholic Central) took fourth at 2:20.94. Freshman Dillon Horsley (Indianapolis, Indiana / North Central) was fifth at 2:23.08.
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