BRIGHTON, Mich. -- Calvin University has been selected as the preseason favorite in the 2026-27 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Men’s Swimming and Diving Preseason Poll, collecting 15 points and three first-place votes in the coaches’ poll.
Hope College follows closely with 14 points and two first-place votes after capturing the 2026 conference championship. Kalamazoo College, Albion College, and Alma College round out the rankings as teams prepare for another season of MIAA competition.
1. Calvin University – 15 points (3 first-place votes)
Calvin finished second at the 2026 MIAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships with 1,125 points and looks to challenge for the conference crown with several All-MIAA performers returning.
Sophomore Jackson Merkel headlines the Knights’ returning group following a standout first season. Merkel tied the MIAA meet record in the 100 back with a time of 47.53 and won the 200 back in 1:45.70. He also contributed to the MIAA record-breaking 800 free relay and the winning 200 medley and 400 free relays. At the NCAA Championships, Merkel placed fifth in the 100 back (47.20), 16th in the 200 back (1:49.25), and 25th in the 200 free (1:39.11).
Sophomores David Gabrielle and Evan Haney also return after earning All-MIAA honors last season. Gabrielle helped Calvin win the 200 medley relay and finish first in the 400 medley relay. Junior Andrew Taulbee, another returning All-MIAA honoree, also contributed to the Knights’ first-place 400 medley relay.
2. Hope College – 14 points (2 first-place votes)
Hope enters the season as the defending MIAA champion after capturing its seventh conference title in program history with 1,215.5 points at the 2026 MIAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships. The Flying Dutch bring back a deep roster of All-MIAA talent, including several swimmers who competed at the NCAA Championships.
Junior Josh Bordovsky, a two-time All-MIAA honoree, won the 200 IM in an MIAA meet-record time of 1:48.85 and claimed the 200 breast in 2:00.16. He also contributed to Hope’s winning 200 free relay. At the NCAA Championships, Bordovsky placed 13th in the 200 IM in 1:48.10 and 17th in the 200 breast in 2:01.38.
Fellow junior Everett Cox, also a two-time All-MIAA honoree, qualified for the NCAA Championships and finished 24th in the 200 free with a time of 1:38.94. Senior Graham Eisenmann, a two-time All-MIAA selection, won the 100 fly in 48.07 and helped the Flying Dutch win the 200 free relay. He later placed 20th in the 100 free (44.53), 26th in the 100 fly (48.56), and 29th in the 100 breast (56.21) at the NCAA Championships.
Junior Joe Engle, a two-time All-MIAA honoree, claimed victories in both the 500 free (4:31.75) and the 1,650 free (16:03.67). Classmate Luke Wyrick also returns following an All-MIAA season in which he won the 400 IM in 4:00.22. Hope’s returning relay contributors include senior Christian Hoeksema and junior George Marsh, both All-MIAA honorees who helped the team win the 200 free relay. Marsh also competed at the NCAA Championships, recording a time of 20.43 in the 50 free. Senior Alex Pierce, a three-time All-MIAA honoree, returns for his final season, while senior Nick Suranyi also brings back All-MIAA experience. Sophomore diver Finn Sanders rounds out the group of returning All-MIAA performers.
Head coach Jake Taber was named the 2026 MIAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Coach of the Year. A Hope alumnus, Taber enters his ninth season leading the Flying Dutchm
3. Kalamazoo College – 8 points
Kalamazoo placed third at the 2026 MIAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships with 402 points. The Hornets return a mix of experienced swimmers and divers who will look to build on last season’s results.
Junior Zander Ligman, a two-time All-MIAA diver, leads the returning group. Ligman won the three-meter diving competition with a score of 535.45 before representing Kalamazoo at the NCAA Championships, where he placed 17th on the three-meter board with 446.55 points and 22nd in the one-meter dive with 390.80 points.
Senior Zach Heikka scored 26 points at the conference meet, finishing seventh in both the 100 back (51.84) and 200 back (season-best 1:55.74). Sophomore Barrett Garrard added 22 points with eighth-place finishes in the one-meter dive (324.85) and three-meter dive (329.55).
Senior Avery Jones tallied 18 points, placing 10th in the 200 free with a personal-best time of 1:44.20, 11th in the 100 free with a personal-best 46.95, and 12th in the 50 free with a season-best 21.22. Junior Reed Dixon also returns after scoring 16 points, highlighted by a 10th-place finish in the 400 IM (4:23.82), an 11th-place finish in the 200 backstroke (2:01.09), and a 14th-place finish in the 200 IM with a season-best time of 2:00.10.
4. Albion College – 7 points
Albion finished fifth at the 2026 MIAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships with 364 points. The Britons will lean on a young group of returning sophomores who contributed points at last season’s conference meet.
Sophomore Tyler Deubel leads Albion’s returning scorers after placing eighth in both the 500 free (4:45.28) and the 400 IM (4:18.56). Classmate Harper Prutch scored 15 points, finishing 12th in the 200 free with a personal-best time of 1:46.69, the 500 free with a personal-best 4:51.91, and the 200 back (2:03.06).
Sophomore Wesley Jenkins totaled 14 points, placing 12th in the 200 fly with a personal-best time of 2:02.24 and 13th in the 500 free with a personal-best 4:56.47. Sophomore Spencer Lukasik added 10 points, finishing 11th in the 200 breast with a personal-best time of 2:23.54 and 13th in the 100 breast (1:07.13).
5. Alma College – 6 points
Alma placed fourth at the 2026 MIAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships with 364.5 points. The Scots return several sophomores who scored at the conference meet and will look to improve on last season’s performance.
Sophomore Cody Benkovsky is Alma’s top returning scorer after totaling 17 points last season. He finished ninth in the 100 breast\ with a personal-best time of 1:01.92, 10th in the 200 breast (2:17.02), and 16th in the 200 IM (2:06.08).
Sophomore Colin Moran returns after scoring 11 points, including a 13th-place finish in the 200 free (1:48.84) and a 14th-place finish in the 500 free (5:00.57). Sophomore Morrison Wood also returns after placing 12th in the 100 back in 58.54 and 15th in the 200 back (2:08.77).
Up Ahead
The MIAA Fall Invite, hosted by Hope at the Holland Aquatic Center, is scheduled for October 24 at 11:00 a.m. Calvin will host the MIAA Winter Invite on January 23 at 11:00 a.m., followed by the MIAA Championships February 17-20. The NCAA Championships will take place March 17-20 in Greensboro, North Carolina.