Hope College's women's swimming and diving team concluded their season impressively at the NCAA Division III Championships, achieving a national runner-up finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Led by seniors Bella Turner, Laurel Wasiniak, Greta Gidley, and freshman Claudia Busse, the team set a school record with a time of 3:20.17. This performance matches Hope's best finish in the event from 1998, highlighting the resilience and experience of the senior class as they capped off their careers with significant accolades.

By the Numbers
  • Hope finished with 159 points, outpacing 10th-place Claremont-Mudd-Scripps by 21 points.
  • Gidley achieved a fifth-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle with a season-best time of 50.05 seconds.
State of Play
  • This marks Hope's third Top-10 finish at nationals in four years and the first back-to-back Top-10 finishes since 1999-2000.
  • The team also garnered three more All-America honors during the meet.
What's Next

With many of the top performers returning, the Flying Dutch will aim to build on this success and maintain their competitive edge in upcoming seasons, possibly challenging for even higher placements at future national meets.

Bottom Line

The combination of seasoned veterans and rising talents positions Hope College as a formidable force in collegiate swimming, setting the stage for continued excellence and a quest for national titles.