No. 10 Women's Swim/Dive Takes First in Eight Events, Wins Michigan-Illinois Quad

The 10th-ranked Hope College women's swimming and diving team made a big splash in its first meet of the new year.

The Flying Dutch recorded eight first-place finishes and totaled 808 points Saturday to win the Michigan-Illinois Quad hosted by Kalamazoo College. Hope more than doubled the point total of the nearest competitor. Wheaton College (Illinois) finished second with 376 points, followed by Lake Forest College (Illinois) with 374 and Kalamazoo with 347.

Senior Greta Gidley Gidley (Franklin, Michigan / Mercy) also set three meet records.

The Orange and Blue won six individual events and both relays.

In the 200-yard backstroke, freshman Ella Cabbage (Traverse City, Michigan / Traverse City Central) led a 1-2-3 Hope finish with a winning time of 2 minutes, 14.12 seconds. Junior Paige Potter (Lake Orion, Michigan / Lake Orion) placed second in 2:15.57, edging junior Avery Bills (Traverse City, Michigan / Traverse City Central), who was third in 2:15.82.

Hope posted the top two performances in three more events: the 50 freestyle, 200 individual medley and 3-meter diving.

In the 50 freestyle, freshman Claudia Busse (Grand Haven, Michigan / Grand Haven) won in 24.79 seconds. Junior Madeline McGee (Ionia, Michigan / Ionia) was runner-up in 25.90.

In the 200 IM, Gidley claimed first place with a meet-record 2:06.12, while senior Katie Hermann (Canton, Michigan / Mercy) finished second in 2:10.48.

In 3-meter diving, junior Laura Zupancic (Fort Collins, Colorado / Liberty Common) recorded a season-best score of 279.60 points. Freshman Grace Dawson (Jackson, Michigan / Western) also posted a personal best with 257.70 points.

The Orange and Blue also won the 200 butterfly and 100 freestyle.

In the 200 butterfly, sophomore Emme D'Errico (Farmington Hills, Michigan / Farmington) touched first in 2:10.79.

In the 100 freestyle, senior Bella Turner (Chelsea, Michigan / Chelsea) won in 53.93 seconds. Hope had four of the five fastest swims in the event.

The 400 medley relay of Gidley, senior Madi Remenschneider (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa), senior Laurel Wasiniak (Northville, Michigan / Northville) and Busse posted the top time of 3:56.81.

Gidley's leadoff 100 backstroke split of 57.56 set a meet and pool record.

Hope also finished runner-up in the event, as Bills, Hermann, freshman Makenzie Baldwin (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) and freshman Katrina Schaefer (DeWitt, Michigan / St. Johns) clocked 4:06.87.

The 400 freestyle relay of Gidley, Busse, D'Errico and Cabbage won in 3:35.61. The Flying Dutch also placed second, with Hermann, Baldwin, Turner and Wasiniak finishing in 3:38.21. Gidley's 100 split of 51.90 was a meet record.

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

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