FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. -- The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) has announced its 2026 Men’s Swimming and Diving All-MIAA award recipients following an outstanding championship meet. Calvin University senior Charles Platt has been named the Most Valuable Swimmer, Kalamazoo College freshman Troy Richard earned Most Valuable Diver honors, and Kalamazoo senior Trustin Christopher received the Senior Impact Award.
Most Valuable Swimmer: Charles Platt, Calvin
Calvin senior Charles Platt capped an exceptional championship performance by earning Most Valuable Swimmer honors at the 2026 MIAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships Presented by Collegiate Credit Union. Platt opened the meet as the anchor of Calvin’s 800 free relay team that broke its own MIAA meet record with a time of 6:32.25, surpassing the previous mark of 6:33.26 set one year ago. Individually, Platt claimed the conference title in the 50 free with a time of 19.97 and set an MIAA meet record in the 200 free at 1:36.27, breaking the previous record of 1:37.39 established in 2021. He also swam the first leg of the victorious 400 medley relay that finished in 3:15.62 and contributed as the second leg of the runner-up 200 free relay that touched in 1:20.94.
Most Valuable Diver: Troy Richard, Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo freshman Troy Richard made an immediate impact in his debut season, earning Most Valuable Diver recognition. Richard captured the conference title on the one-meter board with a winning score of 486.70 and added a runner-up finish on the three-meter board with 497.45 points. His strong performances across both diving events positioned him among the conference’s top competitors and highlighted a promising collegiate career ahead.
Senior Impact Award: Trustin Christopher, Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo senior Trustin Christopher has been named the recipient of the 2026 Senior Impact Award, recognizing excellence in academics, leadership, service, and athletics. A Chemistry major with a minor in Mathematics, Christopher has earned an exceptional 3.99 GPA while competing as an NCAA student-athlete and conducting advanced organic chemistry research. He has been named to the Dean’s List every trimester since Fall 2022, is a member of Chi Alpha Sigma Athletic Honors Society and Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society, and is a recipient of the Lux Esto Academic Scholarship and the Music Enlightened Leadership Award Scholarship.
Christopher serves as captain of the team, reflecting the trust and respect of his teammates and coaches. Academically, he holds multiple mentorship roles, including Organic Chemistry Teaching Assistant, Chemistry Learning Lab Consultant, and Big Sibling Mentor, supporting fellow students in mastering rigorous coursework and adjusting to collegiate life.
His commitment to service extends into the community as a swim coach for Swim for Success, mentoring youth from under-resourced communities in swimming skills and water safety. He also works as a certified lifeguard at both Lifetime Fitness and Kalamazoo, holding CPR/AED, First Aid, and Emergency Oxygen certifications.
In addition to his athletic and leadership responsibilities, Christopher conducts independent research on chromone analogs with potential neuroprotective properties, applying advanced laboratory techniques and presenting his findings at the Kalamazoo Summer Research Poster Session, the Western Michigan Regional Undergraduate Science Conference at the Van Andel Institute, and the Senior Integrated Project Symposium. He was also interviewed by WOOD TV+ regarding undergraduate research during funding interruptions, demonstrating poise, professionalism, and advocacy for scientific scholarship.
2026 Men's Swimming and Diving All-MIAA
Most Valuable Swimmer:
Charles Platt, Calvin
Most Valuable Diver:
Troy Richard, Kalamazoo
Senior Impact Award:
Trustin Christopher, Kalamazoo
All-MIAA Swimmers:
Josh Bordovsky, Hope (2)
Everett Cox, Hope (2)
Graham Eisenmann, Hope (2)
Joe Engle, Hope (2)
David Gabrielle, Calvin
Caleb Gemmen, Calvin (4)
Evan Haney, Calvin
Christian Hoeksema, Hope
George Marsh, Hope
Jackson Merkel, Calvin
Luke Newcomb, Hope (2)
Alex Pierce, Hope (3)
Charles Platt, Calvin (4)
Nick Suranyi, Hope
Andrew Taulbee, Calvin
Luke Wyrick, Hope
Jacob Ziegler, Calvin (2)
All-MIAA Divers:
Zander Ligman, Kalamazoo (2)
Troy Richard, Kalamazoo
Finn Sanders, Hope