2023 Calvin Winter Invitational
- November 30-December 2, 2023
- Venema Aquatic Center, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Short Course Yards (25 Yards)
- Meet Mobile: 2023 Calvin Winter Invite
- Day 1 Results
- Day 2 Results
- Day 3 Results
The Calvin Winter Invite is in the books. Hosted by D3 team Calvin University, the meet also featured D2 teams University of Findlay, Northern Michigan University, and Grand Valley State University, as well as D3 team Grove City College and NAIA team Indiana Wesleyan University.
Grand Valley won the overall team titles for both men and women. The men’s team was led by Eric Hieber, the 2023 Division II NCAA Champion in the 1650 free. Hieber won the mile at this meet by almost 25 seconds, clocking 15:08.97 to get within six seconds of his best time. He now ranks #3 in D2 this season and #4 in the 1000 courtesy of his 9:08.83 split. Unlike D1 and D3, D2 contests the 1000 as an event at their NCAA championships. Hieber placed 4th in the latter distance last year.
Hieber also made strides in the shorter freestyle events. He set best times in the 50 free (20.88), 200 free (1:36.24) and 500 free (4:19.63), as well as splitting 44.30 on Grand Valley’s B 400 free relay. He now ranks #2 in D2 in the 500 free, an event he placed 4th in at last NCAAs.
Tim Stollings (Findlay) also had a strong meet. He swam 46.18 in the 100 back, a new best time and D2 A cut, and 46.79 in the 100 fly to sit #2 and #4 in D2 this season. He placed 4th in both events at last year’s NCAAs.
On the women’s side, Lucy Hedley won the 50 free (23.29), 100 free (50.81), and 200 free (1:50.07) for Grand Valley. She already ranked #2 in the 200 free in D2 this season, courtesy of a 1:48.46 at a tri-meet with Calvin and Saginaw Valley State in mid-October.
Katie Susi (Findlay) swept the women’s breaststroke events, hitting a best time in the 100 breast (1:02.48) that ranks #5 in D2 and topping the 200 breast by over a second (2:17.02). She also hit a best time in the 200 breast in a time trial (2:16.01) to rank #4. Susi also posted the top 100 breaststroke split in the 400 medley relay (1:02.69), teaming up with Sasha Melnyk, Sofia Lesmes Montes, and Emily Mears-Bentley to post the #3 time this season (3:42.74).
There were a number of top performances from the D3 teams as well, highlighted by host team’s Julien Camey in the 100 fly. Camey dropped over a second from his previous best time to clock 46.85, which leads the D3 rankings for this season. David Bajwa also had a big meet, hitting best times in every event including relay lead-offs in the 50 free (20.01) and 100 free (44.07) that now rank him #3 and #4 respectively.
Isabella Gable also swam a strong 100 freestyle lead-off for Calvin, hitting 50.93 to rank #4 in D3. Maggie Farrell won the 100 fly (54.84) with a time that ranks #3.
Team Scores
Women:
- Grand Valley, 2059
- Northern Michigan, 1789
- Findlay, 1288.5
- Calvin, 1141
- Indiana Wesleyan, 820.5
- Grove City, 452
Men:
- Grand Valley, 2248.5
- Northern Michigan, 1645.5
- Calvin, 1347
- Findlay, 1267.5
- Grove City, 528.5
- Indiana Wesleyan, 144