Coming off a strong finish in 2018-19, and graduating a talented senior class that included G-MAC swimmer of the year Anika Ellingson, few would have predicted that the Hillsdale College women's swimming and diving team would be even better in 2019-20.
But despite the losses, the Chargers took a big step forward in 2019-20, capturing the program's first ever conference title by beating rival Findlay to take the G-MAC/MEC swimming crown on Feb. 15 in Canton, OH.
Thanks to that victory, Hillsdale is reaping individual awards from the G-MAC as well, and two of the biggest winners perfectly explain how the Chargers were able to keep rising despite its graduation losses.
After earning G-MAC Coach of the Year honors for a competitive second-place finish in the conference meet in 2018-19, Hillsdale coach Kurt Kirner repeated the honor in 2019-20 by taking first in the meet.
It's Kirner's second conference coach of the year honor in his 13-year tenure at Hillsdale College.
The x-factor in Hillsdale's conference title was an impressive freshman class, recruited by Kirner and assistant Zoe Tracey, that took the G-MAC by storm in 2019-20.
Acknowledging that excellent class, the G-MAC honored its most outstanding member, Leah Tunney (Mequon, WI/Homestead) with the conference Freshman of the Year award.
Tunney was sensational all season and had her best performance in the season-ending conference championship meet, setting a G-MAC/MEC meet record and a Hillsdale record with her title-winning performance in the 500 meter freestyle (5:02.34).
The freshman also swam a leg on the winning 800 freestyle relay (7:43.42) for the Chargers, and racked up runner-up finishes in the 1,000 freestyle (10:17.98), 200 backstroke (2:05.74) and as a part of the 400 medley relay (3:56.26) and 400 freestyle relay (3:31.38) teams.
Tunney was the leading edge of Hillsdale's freshman takeover, as she was joined by two other freshman on the All-G-MAC first team.
Marie Taylor (Austin, TX/Anderson) teamed with Tunney on the runner-up 400 freestyle relay and also took second in the 50 freestyle (24.05) as well for the Chargers at the conference meet, and Madison Pyhel (Saint Petersburg, FL/Saint Petersburg) took third in the 1,650 freestyle (17:45.70) and fourth in the 1,000 freestyle (10:32.13) and earn first team honors as well.
Those freshmen bolstered a strong returning group to give Hillsdale six first-team honorees in total.
Senior Danielle Snell (Suwanee, GA/Lambert) won the 400 individual medley (4:37.57) at the conference meet and also swam on the winning 800 freestyle relay, earning first team honors, and Madeline Breay (Grand Rapids, MI/Catholic Central) also was a part of the winning 800 freestyle relay and a first team honoree.
Junior Katherine Heeres (Zeeland MI/Holland Christian), herself a G-MAC Freshman of the Year two years ago, was the final member of the winning 800 freestyle relay, won the 200 backstroke (2:04.03) for the Chargers, and also took second in the 200 freestyle (1:53.71) and was a member of the runner-up 400 freestyle relay on the way to first team honors as well.
On top of the six first team honorees, Hillsdale College had six more swimmers earn honorable mention All-G-MAC honors as well.
Senior Catherine Voisin (St. Johns, MI/St. Johns) was second in the butterfly (2:08.64) and was a part of three runner-up relays (200 medley, 400 medley, 400 freestyle) at the championship meet and earned honorable mention honors.
Fellow seniors Bailey Bickerstaff (Tyler, TX/The Brook Hill School) and Victoria Addis (Massilon, OH/Jackson) also swam on a runner-up medley relay and earned honorable mention, and senior Allie Matti (Peoria, AZ/Lakeshore) also earned honorable mention after taking second in the 400 individual medley (4:41.75).
Two more Charger swimmers, junior Emma Rao (East Grand Rapids, MI/East Grand Rapids), who swam on the 200 medley relay, and freshman Sarah Clark (Jackson, MI/Lumen Christi), who took fourth in the 1,650 freestyle (18:01.80) also earned honorable mention from the G-MAC.
A complete list of 2019-20 G-MAC swimming and diving all-conference honorees is attached above.
The Chargers now look ahead to 2020-21, where Hillsdale will have to replace some key contributors, but appear to have a bright future with several strong G-MAC title contenders returning.