Scots Douse Oles in Thrilling Senior Day Swim and Dive Showdown

NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The swimming and diving teams for St. Olaf College faced narrow defeats against the visiting squad from Macalester College during the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) duals held on Saturday at Skoglund Natatorium.

The St. Olaf women’s team lost 153-147 to the Scots, even after emerging victorious in 10 events, while the men’s team experienced a 150-128 loss despite achieving seven first-place finishes. During the meet, the Oles honored their five-member senior class comprised of Marcus Hauck, Ben Gusdal, Avery Nevins, Lexi Cucchiaro, and Ellen Varley, who were participating in the final home competition of their careers.

Just days after being awarded the MIAC Women’s Diver of the Week, freshman Erica Johnson clinched victories in both sessions of the one-meter diving for St. Olaf, accruing a total score of 394.35 across 11 dives, falling just 0.65 points short of the NCAA qualifying mark while securing the seventh spot on St. Olaf’s all-time leaderboard.

In addition to Johnson’s stellar performances on the diving board, sophomore Katie Homme, freshman Olivia Small, and junior Paige Steenblock each achieved multiple victories for the Oles. Small stood out with three event wins, triumphing in the 100-yard backstroke (59.26), 200-yard backstroke (2:10.46), and 100-yard butterfly (1:01.11).

Homme was victorious in both the 100-yard freestyle (54.86) and 200-yard freestyle (1:59.33), whereas Steenblock was the first to reach the wall in the 200-yard butterfly (2:14.72) and the 400-yard individual medley (4:43.28). Small and Homme also participated in St. Olaf’s winning 200-yard medley relay (1:49.96) along with Varley and sophomore Samantha Sylvester.

Junior Nick Starcevich contributed to four first-place finishes for the St. Olaf men, securing victories in the 50-yard freestyle (21.70) and 100-yard freestyle (47.92), along with two relay championships. Starcevich teamed up with Hauck, sophomore Jack Homme, and junior William Wallace in the 200-yard medley relay (1:38.83) and joined freshman Dobbin Chong, Homme, and freshman Travis Elling in the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:16.56).

Hauck, Elling, and Homme added individual event victories for the Oles as well. Elling took top honors in the 1,000-yard freestyle (10:35.80), Hauck prevailed in the 200-yard backstroke (2:05.59), and Homme achieved the fastest time in the 100-yard butterfly (53.75).

St. Olaf will travel to Decorah, Iowa, for double duals against Luther College and Loras College on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 1 p.m.