Yesterday, on the first day of the GLIAC conference championships in Canton, Ohio, the Hillsdale women’s swim team broke two school records and swam well enough to provisionally qualify for nationals in four events. The Chargers end day one in third place overall.
Freshman Zoe Hopkins, who earlier this year set the record in the 1650 free, swam a 10:29.26 in the 1000 free, good enough for second place, while shaving 10 seconds off the old school record. What is most impressive about Hopkin’s performance is that she split a faster time for the halfway point of the 1000-meter race than she ever swam the 500.
Sophomore Jordan Rucinski was close behind in fourth place, and would have set the school record if it weren’t for Hopkins.
Hillsdale’s 200 medley relay also set a school record. Sophomore Rachael Kurtz, who already has two individual records, was “happy and excited to be a part of a team record.”
“After working so hard with everyone all season it feels great to finally see all of our hard work pay off,” Kurtz said.
Kurtz, who anchored the relay, swam a 23.28 for her 50 free leg, which is a good indication of where she’ll be tomorrow in the open 50 free. Kurtz hopes to swim a 23.1, and possibly even under 23, which is a phenomenal time that would send her to the national meet.
Senior Sarah Leitner has high expectations for GLIACs and hopes to qualify for nationals.
“It hasn’t quite hit me yet that this could be my last meet,” she said.
Leitner will compete in the 200 free, 100 and 200 backstroke, as well as a few relays, so she will have a decent number of chances to qualify for the national meet.
Today’s results bode well for Hillsdale.
“Coach Kirner was very pleased with how we did, and it was definitely a good way to start the meet,” Leitner said.
Competition will continue today and last until Saturday. With two school records already broken, the sky is the limit for the Chargers.
