The final standings should fall into place today, though the meet culminates tomorrow. Both Knight teams need some surprises here to climb past third. Senior Kristi Van Woerkom and sophomore Brad Flikkema both set school records at the MIAA Championships last year. VanWoerkom won the 500 and 200 freestyle, becoming the first female Calvin winner in the 500, while Flikkema won the men's 500. Both swimmers chased repeats in the 500 yesterday while VanWoerkom looks for her second 200 today.
Freshmen fill crucial roles for the women's team.
While the stroke swimming of the Kalamazoo and Hope women will be the Knights' primary headache, Calvin counters with strong relays and sprints. The Knights own the nation's eighth ranking in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays, jeopardizing the school records in those events as well as the 800 freestyle relay. Meanwhile, the men's draw provides an intriguing matchup in today's 400 medley relay. Hope enters ranked fifth in the nation with Kalamazoo close behind at sixth. In addition to the freestyle relay teams, the Calvin women look to send to nationals Kloostra in the 50 freestyle and VanWoerkom in the 100 and 200 freestyle.