No. 17 Men's Swim/Dive Wins 10 Events, Takes First at Michigan-Illinois Quad

Powered by 10 first-place finishes, the 17th-ranked Hope College men's swimming and diving team ruled the pool Saturday at the Michigan-Illinois Quad hosted by Kalamazoo College.

The Flying Dutchmen totaled 789 points during their first meet in nearly two months, finishing 332 points ahead of runner-up Wheaton College (Illinois). Lake Forest College (Illinois) placed third with 374 points, followed by Kalamazoo with 335.

Hope clocked the four fastest times in the 50-yard freestyle.

Junior Graham Eisenmann (Ozark, Missouri / Ozark) won in 21.23 seconds, followed by George Marsh (Bloomfield Hills, Michigan / Seaholm) in second at 21.72, sophomore Joe Engle (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) in third at 21.85 and freshman Jack Szuba (Farmington Hills, Michigan / Seaholm) in fourth at 22.17.

The Flying Dutchmen delivered six of the top seven swims in the 200 freestyle, led by sophomore Everett Cox (Sugar Land, Texas / Logos Prep) with a winning time of 1:44.49.

Hope recorded four of the five fastest swims in the 200 backstroke, highlighted by a 1-2 finish from freshman Ethan Esparza (Rosenberg, Texas / Thomas H. Randle) in 1:56.44 and senior Sam Albrecht (Jenison, Michigan / Jenison) in a season-best 1:59.56.

The Flying Dutchmen also posted four of the five fastest performances in the 200 butterfly, with sophomore Luke Wyrick (Glen Ellyn, Illinois / Glenbard West) winning in 1:58.95.

Hope placed three swimmers among the top four in the 500 freestyle, fueled by a 1-2 finish from Engle in 4:49.36 and junior Alex Pierce (Oswego, Illinois / Oswego) in 4:48.39.

The Flying Dutchmen also swept the top two spots in the 200 individual medley, with junior Josh Bordovsky (Herndon, Virginia / South Lakes) winning in 1:56.65 and Pierce second in 2:00.50.

Freshman Nolan Smith (Buffalo Grove, Illinois / Buffalo Grove) captured the 100 freestyle in 47.89 seconds, while Wyrick won the 200 breaststroke in 2:14.34.

Hope swept the top two spots in both relays.

In the meet-opening 400 medley relay, Bordovsky, sophomore Luke Newcomb (Brighton, Michigan / Brighton), junior Nick Suranyi (Novi, Michigan / Novi) and junior Christian Hoeksema (Holland, Michigan / Holland Christian) won in 3:29.24. Esparza, Wyrick, Cox and Marsh were second in 3:34.65.

In the meet-ending 400 freestyle relay, Cox, Bordovsky, Smith and freshman Hunter Latham (Lake Stevens, Washington / Lake Stevens) claimed first in 3:08.31. Engle, Marsh, Hoeksema and Eisenmann finished second in 3:08.76.

In diving, freshman Finn Sanders (Wyoming, Michigan / Grandville) was runner-up on the 3-meter board with 272.25 points.

Hope returns to action Saturday, Jan. 24, at 11:30 a.m. at the MIAA Invite hosted by Calvin.

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