The Calvin men’s swimming and diving team sealed its third straight MIAA title on Saturday night with a record-breaking set of performances on the final day of competition at the MIAA Championships.
Calvin finished the four-day conference meet with 951.5 points, nearly 200 points clear of second place Albion which picked up 766.5 points.
Senior Caleb Meindertsma ignited the evening by winning the 1,650 freestyle for the fourth consecutive year, clocking in with an MIAA and school record time of 15:42.35. Meindertsma’s time eclipsed his previous school mark of 15:51.30 set in 2015 and the MIAA record of 15:51.00 set by Hope’s Josh Grabijas in 2012.
Freshman Stephen Barrett was third in the 1,650 with a time of 16:37.54.
In the 200 breaststroke, senior Johnson Cochran won his third straight title in the event, placing third with an NCAA III B’ cut time of 2:02.28. Sophomore Eli Holstege was sixth in 2:10.81 and junior Marshall Campbell seventh in 2:11.71.
Junior Brett Stoughton won his third straight league title in the 200 butterfly with a school record and NCAA III B’ cut qualifying time of 1:51.28. Stoughton’s mark eclipsed his previous school record of 1:52.40 set a year ago. Stoughton was one of three Calvin swimmers in the top eight with sophomore Tanner Vincent taking fifth (1:55.87) and freshman Nathan Olberding placing sixth (1:57.31).
Calvin’s 400 freestyle relay team of senior Brandon Muma, senior Mitch Schroder, freshman Andrew Kasper and freshman Jared Britton also won a league crown with an NCAA III B’ cut qualifying time of 3:01.63, crushing the Calvin record of 3:03.27 set a year ago.
The Knights also rolled up big points in the 100 free as Muma was second (45.83), Britton third (46.22), Schroder fourth (46.33), Kasper sixth (46.60) and sophomore Max DeYoung seventh (46.74).
In the 200 backstroke, sophomore Skyler Fish took second with an NCAA III B’ cut qualifying time of 1:50.86. His time eclipsed his own school record time of 1:51.97 set last year.
Calvin also picked up points on the three-meter diving board with sophomore Michael Moentmann placing fourth (467.40) and junior Dirk Tanis placing seventh (422.70).
“It was just a great team effort,” said Calvin head swim coach Dan Gelderloos. “I’m really proud of each and every one of my guys. To win another league championship is special. I want to especially thank our senior class. They believed in the direction that this program was heading and three conference titles later, here we are.”
FINAL MIAA MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM SCORES
Calvin 951.5
Albion 766.5
Hope 624
Kalamazoo 558
Olivet 206
Alma 13
Swimming news courtesy of Calvin Swimming & Diving.