HOPE COMPETITORS
Josh Grabijas, freshman from Howell, Mich. (Howell HS)
Phil Heyboer, senior from Zeeland, Mich. (Holland Christian HS)
Brandon King, senior from Willowbrook, Ill. (Hinsdale Central HS)
Ryan Nelis, senior from Holland, Mich. (West Ottawa HS)
Mitch Ruch, senior from Zeeland, Mich. (Zeeland East HS)
Aaron Welsch, senior from St. Peters, Mo. (Ft. Zumwalt South HS)
Libby Westrate, freshman from Grandville, Mich. (Grandville HS)
ALL-AMERICA
* Phil Heyboer, 6th place in 400 IM (3:58.76)
HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICA
* 400 Medley Relay, 10th place (Mitch Ruch, Brandon King, Ryan Nelis, and Aaron Welsch),
3:23.29
* Phil Heyboer, 13th place in 200 Backstroke, 1:50.48
* Phil Heyboer, 15th place in 200 IM, 1:53.18
* 200 Medley Relay, 15th place (Mitch Ruch, Brandon King, Ryan Nelis and Aaron Welsch),
1:33.73
HOPE RECORDS ESTABLISHED
* Phil Heyboer, 400 Individual Medley, 3:57.71
* Phil Heyboer, 200 Individual Medley, 1:52.79
* Mitch Ruch, 100 Backstroke, :51.24
HOPE RECORD TIED
* Phil Heyboer, 200 Backstroke, 1:50.48 (ties record set by Mitch Ruch in 2009)
DAY-BY-DAY ROUNDUP
Saturday, March 20, 2010
The NCAA Division III swimming and diving championships have concluded. The Flying Dutchmen finished 26 in a field of 61 teams with 34 points. The Flying Dutch failed to score in the women's meet for the first time since 2003.
Senior Phil Heyboer added to his awards on Saturday by achieving honorable mention All-America honors with a 13th place finish in the 200-yard backstroke (1:50.48). He earlier received All-American recognition with a sixth place finish in the 400-yard individual medley.
Competing Saturday, but unable to advance past the prelims were: Aaron Welsch, 17th in the 100-yard freestyle (:45.85); Ryan Nelis, 49th in the 100-yard freestyle (:47.57); Libby Westrate, 19th in 100-yard freestyle (:52.06); Mitch Ruch, 24th in 200-yard backstroke (1:52.44); Josh Grabijas, 18th in the 1,650-yard freestyle (16:13.87); and 400-yard freestyle relay (Ryan Nelis, Aaron Welsch, Phil Heyboer and Brandon King), 17th place (3:09.68).
Friday, March 19, 2010
The NCAA Division III swimming championships conclude on Saturday at the University of Minnesota. The Flying Dutchmen are 22nd in the field of men's teams with 33 points while the Flying Dutch are still looking for their first points in the women's meet.
On Friday Hope's competitors did not advance to the evening's finals. Competing in the prelims were: Mitch Ruch, 23rd in the 100-yard backstroke (:51.65); Brandon King, 30th in the 100-yard breaststroke (:58.88) and 17th in the 800-yard freestyle relay with a team of Josh Grabijas, Ryan Nelis, Aaron Welsch and Phil Heyboer (6:57.56).
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Senior Phil Heyboer achieved NCAA All-America honors Thursday finishing sixth in the 400-yard individual medley at the Division III championships in Minnesota.
Heyboer becomes the third Hope swimmer, the first in 15 years, to achieve All-America honors in the multi-stroke, marathon event. In Thursday's prelims he set a school record in the event with a time of 3:57.71. He held the old mark of 4:00.48. His time in the finals was 3:58.76.
Hope also had an honorable mention All-America performance with a 10th place finish in the 400-yard medley relay. The all-senior quartet of Mitch Ruch, Brandon King, Ryan Nelis, and Aaron Welsch was timed in season-best 3:23.29. In the preliminary heat earlier Thursday Ruch set a school record in the 100-yard backstroke with a leadoff time of :51.25. It bettered the previous mark of :51.29 set by Chris Dattels in 2000. He did himself even better in the finals with a school record time of :51.24.
Also competing Thursday but not advancing beyond the prelims were: Ryan Nelis, 19th in 100-yard butterfly (:50.50); Josh Grabijas, 48th in 200-yard freestyle (1:43.53); and Libby Westrate, 34th in 200-yad freestyle (1:54.28).
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Hope swimmers recorded two honorable mention All-America performances on the first day of the NCAA Division championships being held through Saturday at the University of Minnesota.
Phil Heyboer finished 15th in the 200-yard individual medley in 1:53.18. He earlier in the prelims had a season-best time of 1:52.79.
Hope's 200-yard medley relay team also finished 15th. The all-senior quartet of Mitch Ruch, Brandon King, Ryan Nelis and Aaron Welsch was timed in 1:33.73.
Competing in the prelims, but not advancing to the finals on Wednesday were: Josh Grabijas, 33rd in 500-yard freestyle (4:41.98); Aaron Welsch, 24th in 50-yard freestyle (:21.10); Ryan Nelis, 44th in 50-yard freestyle (:21.66); and Libby Westrate, 18th in 50-yard freestyle (:23.97).