AQ Swim & Dive celebrate at EKHS

AQ Swim & Dive Gears Up for Postseason After Strong Performances at Tri-Meet

Athletes Shine with Personal Bests Amid Tough Conditions

1/26/2025 3:45:00 PM

By: Joey Sutherlin - Director of Athletic Communications

Grand Rapids, Mich. — After a challenging week marked by unpredictable weather and limited practice time, the AQ Swim & Dive teams competed in a tri-meet at East Kentwood High School on Saturday. The men's team faced off against Davenport, while the women competed in dual meets against Davenport and Hillsdale College. Although the Saints couldn't secure a victory, both teams delivered impressive performances under difficult circumstances.

 

Results

Men's Swim & Dive

  • Davenport 164, Aquinas 71

Women's Swim & Dive

  • Davenport 167, Aquinas 75
  • Hillsdale College 146, Aquinas 90

 

Weather Challenges
Head Coach Kristy Hepp reflected on the unique obstacles posed by the week's weather disruptions. "Today was a challenging meet for us due to being out of the water and off the boards for five days straight because of weather closures at our training facility," Hepp explained. "It was a bit of an experiment to see how the athletes would respond physically and mentally."

Despite the hurdles, Coach Hepp praised her team's resilience. "I'm happy to say we put up some strong performances. More than anything, this meet helped train our team to be mentally tough and attack our races and dives, even when we don't necessarily feel our best."

 

Women's Swim & Dive Highlights

  • Sophomore captain Amelia Edens captured the team's only individual event win with a time of 25.20 in the 50 freestyle. She also earned second place overall in the 200 backstroke (2:11.95), with freshman Emersyn Joslin close behind in third (2:13.15). Both are strong candidates for the NAIA national meet in March.
  • The diving team delivered solid results, with Emma Nibbelink placing second on the 1-meter board (175.65) and third on the 3-meter board (159.23). Taylor Moss secured fourth on the 1-meter board (153.45), followed by Kaitlyn Santaguida in fifth and Anna Benstead in sixth. Santaguida and Benstead also performed admirably on the 3-meter board, with Santaguida finishing fourth and Benstead placing fifth in her 3-meter debut.

 

Men's Swim & Dive Highlights

  • Lucas Eussen posted a season-best and the fourth-fastest time in team history in the 200 butterfly, finishing second with a time of 2:03.35.
  • Freshman Noah Berns recorded a personal-best 2:03.90 in the 200 backstroke, placing second and securing the top team finish in the event.
  • Junior captain Luke Martin claimed the team's lone individual win in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:11.78. Martin is currently ranked second in the conference and 21st nationally in this event.
  • The divers also impressed, with Troy Borrero, Lucas Castillo, and Sawyer Shank scoring on both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards. Borrero finished third on the 1-meter board (235.43), while Castillo earned a personal-best 214.20 on the 3-meter board to finish third.

 

Program Milestones and Postseason Preparation

With the postseason approaching, the Saints are determined to build on their progress. Coach Hepp expressed confidence in her team's direction: "With only one more regular-season meet left, this is the time to fine-tune our strategies. The next meet will help us finalize the scoring roster for the conference championships."

 

Up Next

The Saints will compete in their final regular-season meet at Albion College on Saturday, February 1, with a 1:00 p.m. start. Both teams look forward to using this meet as a springboard into the postseason.

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