<nd diving team concluded its dual meet season last Saturday with an impressive performance at St. Olaf’s Skoglund Pool. The meet resulted in a close 118-180 finish in favor of the Oles.
“I remember years where we wouldn’t even break 100 points” against St. Olaf, reminisced Andrew Mering ’11.
Mering was part of the exciting final 200-yard freestyle relay, along with Erik Klontz, Mamoru Kanazawa and Benito Ramirez. The group was disqualified but also set the fastest 200-yard freestyle relay time in the MIAC.
Coaches Andy Clark and Brooke Larsen named Andy Hardt ‘13 the swimmer of the meet after he posted season-best times in the 1,000-yard freestyle, 200-yard butterfly and 200-yard backstroke.
Adam Miller ‘13 and Ben Bedore ‘13 also set lifetime bests in the 200-yard freestyle.
Eric Brenner continued to light up the boards this weekend. While the Carleton and Olaf divers actually train together, Brenner’s competitive drive and focus were not phased on Saturday as he broke Carleton’s 1-meter, six-dive record left by Ken Potts in 1983. Brenner broke the 3-meter board record one week prior and posted his second requisite qualifying performance for the NCAA Nationals competition.
The tone of the meet was serious and driven, yet no ill will lies between the Carleton and St. Olaf teams. At the conclusion of what was Olaf’s Senior Recognition meet, the Knights and Oles mingled in a short inter-squad social with food prepared by the Olaf team.
Rested and fit, the Knights are ready tackle the two-day Minnesota Challenge meet today and tomorrow at the University of Minnesota Aquatics Center. Many on the squad face their final competition of the season at the meet, while the rest prepare for the MIAC Championship meet held at the same location in two weeks.
Ben Bedore is a member of the men’s swimming/diving team.