Girls’s Swim/Dive Wins Two Comfort Finals at NCAA Division III Championships

The Hope College girls’s swimming and diving group responded to a disappointing prelims session on Friday on the NCAA Division III Championships in Indianapolis with a triumphant session within the night.

The Flying Dutch gained comfort races within the 200-yard medley relay and the 100 breaststroke, clinching Second Team All-American All-America accolades within the 200 and holding onto tenth place within the group standings with 102 factors.

Hope heads into the ultimate day of competitors on Saturday, March 21, on the Indiana University Natatorium with a 12-point lead over Eleventh-place Swarthmore College. The Flying Dutch search back-to-back Top 10 finishes and their third Top 10 group effort in 4 seasons.

Saturday’s competitors options prelims at 10 a.m. and finals at 6 p.m.

Hope opened Friday’s night session within the 200 medley relay by going almost a second quicker than the prelims. Freshman Claudia Busse (Grand Haven, Michigan / Grand Haven), senior Laurel Wasiniak (Northville, Michigan / Northville), senior Greta Gidley (Franklin, Michigan / Mercy), and senior Bella Turner (Chelsea, Michigan / Chelsea) went 1:41.58.

During prelims, the relay posted a time of 1:42.50 and completed simply 0.16 outdoors of the championship remaining.

Gidley gained the comfort race within the 100 breaststroke in 1:02.14 — 0.76 quicker than her prelim effort. It was Gidley’s first profession All-America efficiency within the occasion. 

Hope competed in three extra races on Friday throughout prelims.

In the 800 freestyle relay, Busse, Wasiniak, freshman Mackenzie Baldwin (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa), and Gidley recorded a Nineteenth-place swim of seven:29.83.

In the 100 backstroke, Busse positioned twenty fourth after a season-best swim of 56.30 throughout prelims. Baldwin tied for thirty first at 56.59.

In the 200 butterfly, sophomore Emme D’Errico (Farmington Hills, Michigan / Harrison) took thirtieth with a swim of two:06.01.

The four-day meet concludes on Saturday, March 21, with 10 a.m. prelims and 6 p.m. finals.



Busse, Gidley and Turner will swim within the 100 freestyle.

Senior Katie Hermann (Canton, Michigan / Mercy) and Baldwin will race within the 200 backstroke.

Senior Madi Remenschneider (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) will compete within the 200 breaststroke.

The Flying Dutch additionally swim within the 400 freestyle relay.

Two divers will compete: junior Laura Zupancic (Fort Collins, Colorado / Liberty Common) and freshman Grace Dawson (Jackson, Michigan / Western).