Hope swim group heads to NCAA championships with trio of title hunters

HOLLAND – In the previous 20 years, the Hope College girls’s swim group has had simply three severe NCAA title contenders.

But the Flying Dutch have three particular person title hunters in the identical season, for the primary time in a long time as Hope goals for its third top-10 end as a group up to now 4 years.

Seniors Greta Gidley and Laurel Wasiniak wish to put the stamp on their stellar legacies at Hope, whereas freshman Makenzie Baldwin is seeking to get her legacy began.

“We haven’t really talked about winning or placing. But it is all about focusing on what we can control,” Hope coach Jake Taber mentioned. “When this group does things the right way, they can apply some unique pressure against the people they are swimming against. If that comes with a really exciting finish on a podium, we will celebrate the heck out of that.”

Fifth-year senior Gidley leads the pack into the NCAA Division III Championships that start Wednesday, March 18 in Indianapolis.

After transferring from Michigan, Gidley has completed NCAA runner-up within the 200-yard IM twice and fourth as soon as. She has additionally positioned eleventh within the 100 butterfly and 14th and fifteenth within the 100 freestyle.

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“I am probably in the best physical shape I have been going into nationals,” Gidley mentioned. “I have been practicing really strong. This whole year has really been a gift for me. I was never expecting to end up at Hope when I first started college swimming, and to get this fifth year to come back, I am really excited to be able to have one last meet with this team that has been so amazing.”

This 12 months, she is the highest qualifier within the 200 IM heading into the meet and second within the 100 breaststroke.

“Greta is living her best life right now. It has been amazing. She is so free to see the weight lifted on things,” Taber mentioned. “She is engaged, has a job lined up and is seeing herself as not just a swimmer. She just wants to take it all in and rise and be at her best.”

Wasiniak will swim the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle occasions.

Last 12 months, she remodeled into among the finest sprinters within the nation and is on the lookout for a fair sooner end. She is seeded third within the 100 free.

“This feels like the most prepared that our team has been going into NCAAs,” Wasiniak mentioned. “The big team qualifying has helped us keep the same routines going. We know we belong here and are competing, not only for ourselves, but the highest finish for our team.”

Baldwin, a Holland native and West Ottawa graduate, will swim the 100 and 200 backstroke occasions in addition to the five hundred freestyle. She is seeded third within the 200 again.

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“I am a little bit nervous because this will be the fastest meet, I have ever been to,” Baldwin mentioned. “But I am mostly just excited because it is such a cool opportunity to qualify for this meet and do it alongside all of my teammates. I am trying to figure out what I need rest-wise. The 200 back is my best event, and it is on the last day, so I need to be ready for it. It has been so great to watch the seniors and see them uplift everyone. It is really cool to have such great seniors.”

The different Hope qualifiers are Emme D’Errico (200 IM, 400 IM, 200 butterfly, relays), Katie Hermann (200 IM, 400 IM, relays), Madi Remenschneider (100 breaststroke), Bella Turner (100 free, relays), Claudia Busse (50 free, relays), Grace Dawson (diving), Laura Zupancic (diving) and on the boys’s facet, Graham Eisenmann within the 50 free – plus relays, that may embody Josh Bardovsky, Christian Hoeksema (Holland Christian), Everett Cox, Joseph Engle (West Ottawa) and George Marsh.

“Every person has earned this spot. There is no committee looking at strength of schedule,” Taber mentioned. “Every person on the team will have 16 teammates there with them.”

Contact sports activities editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, previously identified as  Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.