Women's Swimming and Diving

2005-2006 in Review

Directed by head coach Dan Gelderloos, the women’s swimming and diving team had a historic year, winning the MIAA Championship for the second straight year and then tying for sixth place at the NCAA III Championships. Over the course of the year, Calvin shattered 10 school records including four in relay events.

Calvin finished the dual meet season with an 11-3 record and went 6-0 against MIAA schools. At the MIAA Championships held at the Jenison Aquatics Center, Calvin posted a first place total of 621.5 points, marking the seventh-highest point total in MIAA women’s swimming and diving history and the highest by a Calvin swimming and diving team.

At the MIAA Championships, Calvin took first place in 13 of a possible 19 events. Junior Becky Weima (Caledonia, Mich.) led the way, taking first place in the 100 freestyle (50.95), 200 freestyle (1:49.65) and 500 freestyle (4:59.53), setting MIAA records in all three events. Weima also broke an MIAA record in the 50 freestyle while leading off Calvin’s first place 200 freestyle relay team with a 50 split time of 23.52. In the morning prelims, Calvin’s 200 freestyle relay of Weima, junior Liz Ingebrigtsen (Bensenville, IL), freshman Cara VanWoerkom (Wyoming, Mich.) and sophomore Kat Vinson (Kaneohe, HI) established a new MIAA record with a time of 1:35.83.

Freshman diver Erica Deur (Holland, Mich.) also had a huge conference meet, winning the one and three-meter diving competitions. In the one-meter competition, Deur came up with a score of 451.65 points, breaking the previous record of 447.65 set by Calvin’s Sari Brummel in 1987. In the three-meter competition, Deur won with an MIAA-record score of 467.80 points, breaking the previous record set by Kalamazoo’s Lynn Achterberg in 1985.

Junior Alex Wilson (Ellsworth, OH) was another double-winner for the Knights, taking the gold in the 400 IM (4:38.32) and 200 breaststroke (2:25.45). Other individual winners from Calvin included senior Abby Johnson (Grand Haven, Mich.) in the 200 IM (2:09.71) and junior Barbara Frazier (Placerville, Calif.) in the 100 breaststroke (1:08.61). Calvin also won four of the five relay events. In addition to its 200 freestyle relay, Calvin also took first place in the 400 medley relay (3:54.50), the 400 freestyle relay (3:30.73) and the 800 freestyle relay (7:42.60) with the 400 freestyle relay also establishing a new MIAA record.

Weima was then named the MIAA’s Most Outstanding Swimmer for the third straight year while Deuer was named the MIAA’s Most Outstanding Diver. Weima and Deuer were both named to the All-MIAA team and were joined from Calvin on the team by Johnson, Wilson, Frazier, Ingebrigtsen, senior Laura Miersma (Holland, Mich.), sophomore Stephanie Duncan (Long Grove, Il.) and Vinson. Johnson was named to the All-MIAA team for the fourth straight year, becoming the sixth individual in Calvin women’s swimming and diving history to be so honored.

Calvin then sent 10 individuals to the NCAA III Championships hosted by Carleton College in Minneapolis. At the national meet, Calvin tied for sixth with Denison University, scoring 199 points. Weima headlined the national meet for the Knights, winning national titles in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle.

For more on the NCAA III Championships recap, click here: NCAA RECAP.