BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) swimming & diving teams are set to wrap up the 2024 portion of this season's schedule this weekend. MIAC squads will take a break for the holidays before beginning the grind toward the 2025 MIAC Swimming & Diving Championships in February.
NATIONAL NOTABLES
Carleton first-year Nina Schwab (Piedmont, Calif.) is nationally ranked in both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events. Schwab ranks seventh in NCAA Division III off the 1-meter board (437.50) and 11th off the 3-meter (415.60). Both scores were recorded at the Knights' home Cows, Colleges, and Contentment meet on 10/26.
Carleton sophomore Hailey Westrup (Sartell, Minn.) is nationally ranked in both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events. Westrup ranks 16th in the 1-meter competition (386.10) and 20th in the 3-meter (368.60). Both scores were recorded at the Knights' home Cows, Colleges, and Contentment meet on 10/26.
Macalester's 800 freestyle relay team of first-year Molly Nuckolls (Lawrence, Kan. | Free State), senior Natalie Pollock (Madison, Wis. | West), senior Caroline Chapon (Evanston, Ill.), and senior Olga Merkadeau (Lafayette, Calif. | The College Preparatory School) ranks 39th in NCAA Division III this season with a time of 8:03.74, recorded at the Phoenix Fall Classic on 11/22-24.
Macalester's 400 medley relay team of senior Verity Wray-Raabolle (Owatonna, Minn. | Bethlehem Academy), first-year Carolyn Wolking (Micanopy, Fla. | Santa Fe College), first-year Molly Nuckolls (Lawrence, Kan. | Free State), and senior Caroline Chapon (Evanston, Ill.) ranks 44th in NCAA Division III this season with a time of 4:01.16, recorded at the Phoenix Fall Classic on 11/22-24.
Macalester senior Verity Wray-Raabolle (Owatonna, Minn. | Bethlehem Academy) ranks 35th in NCAA Division III this season with a 100 backstroke time of 57.41 recorded at the Phoenix Fall Classic on 11/22-24.
St. Catherine's 800 freestyle relay team of junior Ella Hochstetler (Coralville, Iowa | West), junior Olivia Weil (Cedarburg, Wis.), sophomore Jordyn Grotbo (St. Bonifacius, Minn. | Waconia), and senior Emma Svendsen (Mead, Colo.) ranks 29th in NCAA Division III this season with a time of 7:59.47, recorded at the WildBear Invitational on 11/21-23.
St. Catherine's 400 medley relay team of junior Ella Hochstetler (Coralville, Iowa | West), junior Olivia Weil (Cedarburg, Wis.), senior Emma Svendsen (Mead, Colo.), and sophomore Jordyn Grotbo (St. Bonifacius, Minn. | Waconia) ranks 39th in NCAA Division III this season with a time of 4:00.51, recorded at the WildBear Invitational on 11/21-23.
St. Catherine senior Emma Svendsen (Mead, Colo.) ranks 50th in NCAA Division III this season in the 400 individual medley with a time of 4:37.60, recorded at the WildBear Invitational on 11/21-23.
AROUND THE MIAC
Carleton first-year Nina Schwab (Piedmont, Calif.) won the diving competition on both boards in the Knights' dual meet at Macalester on 11/9. Schwab scored 258.85 points in six dives on the 1-meter board, prevailing by more than 25 points and posting her second of two qualifying scores required to advance to the NCAA Regional Diving competition in late February. Schwab added a victory at the 3-meter height with a score of 248.45 over her six dives.
Concordia sophomore Callie Metsala (Princeton, Minn.) qualified for finals in the 100 IM and 100 free at the WildBear Invitational on 11/21-23. Metsala's best time of the meet came in prelims, where she clocked a 1:03.79 in the 100 IM. That time is the third fastest in the MIAC this season.
Gustavus first-year Geneva Fackler (Plymouth, Minn. | Wayzata) contributed two of the Gusties' three first-place finishes against UW-Stevens Point on 11/9. Fackler touched the wall first in the 200 free with a time of 1:57.56 while also posting the best time in the 500 free with a 5:19.46. In the 200 medley, the Gusties finished in 1:50.68, while the 400 free relay came in at 3:42.76.
Hamline senior Sila Yurttas (Shoreview, Minn. | Mounds View) took second place out of 45 competitors with 260.50 points at the annual St. Kate's Pentathlon on 10/19. Yurttas placed first in the 100 IM (1:03.48) and 100 breast (1:12.21).
Macalester first-year Molly Nuckolls (Lawrence, Kan. | Free State) swam the 200-yard butterfly in 2:09.33 at the annual Phoenix Fall Classic in Chicago to break the Scots' program record in the event. Nuckolls set the record in the preliminary round and elected not to swim in the final. Nuckolls also made the B final in the 500-yard freestyle on 11/22 with a time of 5:14.84. She added a 1650-yard freestyle time of 18:01.83 on 11/24. All three times lead the MIAC this season.
Saint Benedict junior Megan Bartels (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) helped the Bennies to a split in their double dual with St. Catherine and St. Olaf on 11/2. Bartels touched the wall first in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:11.21 and won the 200 breaststroke in 2:34.81. She also helped CSB to a second-place finish in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:53.57.
St. Catherine first-year Macey Morgan (Monticello, Minn.) led the all Division III divers at the WildBear Invite in St. Paul by tallying scores 344.80 off the 1-meter board and 304.35 off the 3-meter. Morgan finished fourth overall in both events behind a trio of Division II divers.
St. Olaf sophomore Katie Homme (Rochester, Minn. | Century) finished in the top two in all three of her individual swims for the Oles in their dual at Gustavus on 11/16. Homme won the 100-yard freestyle (54.72) and the 500-yard freestyle (5:19.61) and was second in the 200-yard freestyle (1:59.57) while also swimming on the third-place 200-yard freestyle relay (1:42.49). Homme's time in the 100 free is the fastest in the MIAC this season, while her time in the 500 free is second.
UP NEXT
Thursday, December 5
Rochester Invite (Rochester, Minn.)
Friday, December 6
Rochester Invite (Rochester, Minn.)
Roger Ahlman Invite (St. Paul, Minn.)
Saturday, December 7
Rochester Invite (Rochester, Minn.)
Roger Ahlman Invite (St. Paul, Minn.)