HOLLAND, Mich. -- The 2026 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships Presented by Collegiate Credit Union concluded Saturday at the Holland Aquatic Center, with host Hope College capturing the team title with 1,215.5 points. The championship marks the Flying Dutchmen’s seventh meet title in program history under the current format.
Hope sophomore Joe Engle opened the evening with a victory in the 1,650 freestyle, finishing in 16:03.67. Calvin University sophomore Alex Bergsma placed second in 16:03.96, followed by freshman teammate Evan Haney in third at 16:06.71.
Calvin freshman Jackson Merkel claimed the 200 backstroke title in 1:45.70. Teammate and senior Jacob Ziegler finished second in 1:51.32, while Hope freshman Ethan Esparza placed third with a time of 1:51.87.
Calvin senior Charles Platt set an MIAA meet record in the 100 freestyle, winning in 43.15 to break the previous mark of 43.56 set last season. Hope junior Graham Eisenmann finished second in 44:67, followed by teammate and sophomore Blake Hetherington in third at 45.47.
Hope secured the top two spots in the 200 breaststroke. Junior Josh Bordovsky won the event in 2:00.16, while junior teammate Christian Hoeksema finished second in 2:03.21. Calvin sophomore Andrew Taulbee placed third in 2:03.44.
Calvin's Ziegler captured the 200 butterfly title with a time of 1:51.16. Hope junior Nick Suranyi finished second in 1:51.53, and sophomore teammate Everett Cox placed third in 1:51.81.
Calvin closed the meet with a victory in the 400 freestyle relay, touching in 2:58.50. The winning quartet included Merkel, Ziegler, sophomore Carter Detweiler, and Platt. Hope finished second in 2:59.54 with Eisenmann, senior Henry Booker, Hetherington, and Hoeksema, while Alma College placed third in 3:14.06 behind senior Brent Riehl, senior Eli Mull, freshman Colin Moran, and freshman Nolan Kaiser.
Calvin finished second in the final team standings with 1,125 points, followed by Kalamazoo College in third with 402. Alma placed fourth with 364.5 points, narrowly ahead of Albion College (364), while The University of Olivet finished sixth with 20 points.
Qualifiers from the meet will next compete at the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships, scheduled for March 18–21 at the Indiana University Natatorium.
MIAA Champions - Friday
1650 Free - Joe Engle, Hope
200 Back - Jackson Merkel, Calvin
100 Free - Charles Platt, Calvin (MIAA Record)
200 Breast - Josh Bordovsky, Hope
200 Fly - Jacob Ziegler, Calvin
400 Free Relay - Calvin | Jackson Merkel, Jacob Ziegler, Carter Detweiler, Charles Platt | 2:58.50