The Wildcat swim and dive teams took home top marks at the GLIAC Championships in Holland, Michigan. The women’s team placed second overall with 753.50 points, and the men’s team finished third with 579 points. They will compete in the NCAA championships this week.
The championships were split up over the course of four days, with the preliminary races held in the morning and finals in the afternoon.
Day 1 began with a series of races, and at the end of the day, the men’s 200 medley relay earned a first-place finish, alongside Leo Nolles in the 50 freestyle, and the men’s 200 freestyle relay. The women’s team sat in third and the men’s in second at the end of the first day of competition.
Day 2 did not include any first-place finishes, but the team still secured several podium spots. Nolles took home another medal, with a third-place finish in the 100 butterfly. Elena Curti claimed two bronze medals, one in the 100 butterfly and one in the 200 freestyle. Both sets of relays that competed during the day took home second place finishes as well. At the end of the day, the teams were in second and third place.
Day 3 of the championships featured one first-place finish, with Camilla Carbone winning the 100 backstroke. Wyatt Dickman took home silver in 100 breaststroke, breaking a school record in the preliminary rounds before setting another school record in the finals. There were two podium finishes in the 500 freestyle, with Annika Wright and Anika Geyer placing second and third, respectively.
On the final day of competition, there were two first-place finishes: Nolles in the 100 freestyle and the men’s 400 freestyle relay. Nolles also posted the No. 1 NCAA Division II time in the country, setting meet, pool, and event records. He was named the GLIAC Male Swimmer of the Year at the end of the competition. Dickman earned another silver medal in the 200 breaststroke, while Wright and Geyer again took second and third in the 1,650 freestyle.
Throughout the championships, 12 school records were set—11 by the men’s team and one by the women’s. The Wildcats earned 31 medals in total: 6 gold, 11 silver, and 14 bronze. They also achieved one NCAA A-cut and 41 NCAA B-cuts. The meet saw 72 personal bests and 50 season bests.
The team will now travel to Indianapolis to compete in the NCAA Swim and Dive Championships, which will take place over the course of five days. The last time the Wildcat Swim and Dive team collected an NCAA championship plaque was in 1992, where they finished runner-up.
The championships begin Tuesday, March 11, with diving events, followed by the swimming competitions the rest of the week.
