INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) continued to showcase its depth and high-level talent on day three of the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships, highlighted by multiple podium finishes, strong relay swims, and consistent performances across the board.
Men’s Recap
The Calvin University men highlighted the day with a pair of podium finishes in the 100 backstroke. Senior Charles Platt placed third overall with a time of 46.68, while freshman Jackson Merkel followed closely with a fifth-place finish in 47.20, giving the Knights two First Team All-Americans in the event.
Relay events set the tone early, as Calvin placed 13th in the 200 medley relay (1:28.39) and Hope finished 19th (1:31.44).
In the 100 breaststroke, Calvin senior Caleb Gemmen placed 28th with a time of 55.86, just ahead of Hope junior Graham Eisenmann, who finished 29th in 56.21.
Kalamazoo sophomore Zander Ligman represented the MIAA in diving once again, placing 22nd on the one-meter board with a score of 390.80.
The distance relays capped the evening with tightly contested finishes, as Hope placed 10th in the 800 freestyle relay (6:36.39) and Calvin followed just behind in 11th (6:36.59), showcasing the conference’s strength in depth and endurance events.
Women’s Recap
Hope opened the evening with a strong showing in the 200 medley relay, finishing ninth in 1:41.58 to secure a top-10 national finish. Calvin followed with a 21st-place finish in 1:44.13.
In individual events, Hope sophomore Emme D’Errico led the way in the 200 butterfly, placing 30th with a time of 2:06.01, while Calvin sophomore Zoe Poe finished 38th (2:07.89).
Hope’s freshman class made its presence felt in the 100 backstroke, as Claudia Busse finished 24th in 56.30 and Makenzie Baldwin tied-for-31st in 56.59. Calvin junior Emma Merkel added a 40th-place finish in 57.06.
In the 100 breaststroke, Hope fifth-year senior Greta Gidley posted a ninth-place finish in 1:02.14, just missing the podium while adding another top-10 performance to her national meet résumé. Calvin junior Elise Bajwa finished 32nd (1:04.78), while Hope seniors Madi Remenschneider (34th, 1:05.39) and Bella Turner (40th, 1:06.58) rounded out the MIAA competitors.
Hope closed out the night with a 19th-place finish in the 800 freestyle relay, touching in 7:39.10.
With three days complete, the MIAA continues to build a strong national presence, combining podium performances with a steady stream of top-20 finishes heading into the final day of competition.