Last year, the Hillsdale College women's swimming and diving team completed a long journey to the top, winning the 2020 G-MAC/MEC Championship to capture the first conference title in program history.
In 2021, the Chargers are looking to stay on top and capture a repeat crown as the G-MAC/MEC women's swimming and diving meet gets underway.
Hillsdale knocked off the defending conference champion, Findlay, to win last year's title, and those two programs are expected to be the top contenders for the title again this season. The Chargers already have a dual meet victory over the Oilers, 163-117, on Feb. 13 of this year, and are the favorites entering the meet thanks to their depth in a variety of events. Hillsdale returns two former G-MAC Freshmen of the Year in senior Katherine Heeres and sophomore Leah Tunney, and an already strong lineup from last season has been bolstered by an excellent freshmen class, headlined by two-time G-MAC Athlete of the Week Caroline Holmes and Cecelia Guadalupi, who also earned a G-MAC Athlete of the Week honor.
The Chargers have strong relays and are especially deep in the distance freestyle events. Although those areas are where Hillsdale especially excels, the Chargers have a squad that's capable of scoring points in virtually every non-diving event, and have at least one athlete who is a real contender for a top three finish in nearly every event.
Hillsdale is one of four Great Midwest Athletic Conference schools who compete in women's swimming and diving. The G-MAC holds a shared championship with the Mountain East Conference, with 11 schools competing for the title every year.
The G-MAC/MEC championship is hosted by Malone University and held at Branin Natatorium in Canton, Ohio. The event is spread over four days and begins tonight at 6 p.m. with finals in the 200 meter medley and 800 freestyle relays, as well as the individual 1,000 freestyle race. On Wednesday through Friday, swimmers will compete in prelim races beginning at 10 a.m., with the top 24 swimmers in each preliminary race advancing to the final in that event at 6 p.m. later that night. The team champion will be crowned on Friday at the conclusion of the event.
Due to Covid-19 protocols, no spectators will be allowed at the 2021 G-MAC/MEC Championship meet this year. However, the entire event will be livestreamed and you can follow along with the race at the links below.
Live Results | Video | Schedule | Psych Sheet