Eight Make All-MIAA Men's Swimming and Diving Teams

Hope College is represented by seven swimmers and one diver.

Seven swimmers and one diver from Hope College have been chosen to the 2024 All-MIAA Men's Swimming and Diving Team.

Individual-event MIAA champions Ben Catton (Holland, Michigan / Holland Christian HS), Christian Dunaitis (Commerce Township, Michigan / Detroit Catholic Central), Bailey Smith (Battle Creek, Michigan / Lakeview) and Ewan Tiongson are among the Flying Dutchmen's honorees.

They are joined by junior Conner Halberg (Novi, Michigan / Northville), junior Colin Kalkman (Zeeland, Michigan / Holland Christian, freshman Alex Pierce (Oswego, Illinois / Oswego) and freshman Nick Suranyi (Novi, Michigan / Novi).

This is the fifth All-MIAA selection for Smith; the fourth for Catton; the third for Dunaitis and Kalkman; the second for Halberg and Tiongson; and the first for Pierce and Suranyi.

Smith finished as Hope's top scorer at the MIAA Championships and the third-highest point earner among all MIAA swimmers.

The senior repeated as MIAA champion in the 500 and the 1,650 freestyle. Smith captured his fourth title in the 1,650 freestyle in five years by posting a swim of 16:01.21. In the 500 freestyle, Smith earned his second championship with a time of 4:35.26.

In the 200 freestyle, Smith finished runner-up by clocking a time of 1:41.10. Smith also swam the third leg in Hope's MIAA-champion 400 freestyle relay.

Catton ranked sixth among MIAA swimmers and second among Hope swimmers for points earned during the four-day meet at the Holland Aquatic Center.

Catton claimed an MIAA title in the 100-yard freestyle by clocking a time of 44.15 seconds during the finals.

The senior also finished runner-up in the 100 butterfly with a time of 47.44 seconds and third in the 50 free at 20.51 seconds.

Catton delivered a school-record, 50-freestyle clip of 20:16 to start off the Flying Dutchmen's MIAA-champion and school-record 200 freestyle relay.

Dunaitis finished as Hope's third-highest point-earner and seventh among MIAA swimmers. The junior earned his second MIAA championship in the 100 breaststroke in three years after posting a swim of 54.80 seconds during the finals.

Dunaitis placed runner-up in the 200 breaststroke at 2:02.13 and fourth in the 200 individual medley at 1:54.16.

Tiongson won the MIAA crown in 3-meter diving by recording a total of 457.80 points.

The junior also placed third in the 1-meter diving with a score of 405.15 points.

Pierce ranked eighth among MIAA swimmers in points. The freshman placed runner-up in three events: the 400 individual medley at 4:02.08, the 500 freestyle at 4:37.23 and the 1,650 freestyle at 16:10.03.

Kalkman finished 12th in points among MIAA swimmers. The junior swam the third leg of the MIAA-champion 200 freestyle relay.

Kalkman placed second in the 100 freestyle at 44.70, third in the 100 backstroke at 48.56 and fourth in the 100 butterfly at 48.98.

Suranyi recorded the 13th-most points among MIAA swimmers. The freshman's best finish came in the 200 individual medley, where he took third at 1:53.77.

Halberg finished 18th among MIAA swimmers in points. The junior's top effort came as he anchored the Flying Dutchmen's MIAA-champion 400 freestyle relay that went 3:07.08.

Colin Kalkman, Alex Pierce, Nick Suranyi and Conner Halberg pose for portraits.