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The Hillsdale College women's swimming and diving team heads to the G-MAC/MEC Championships this week in Canton, Ohio as a team on a mission, looking to pull a big upset.
The Chargers saw their streak of three straight G-MAC/MEC crowns ended by Findlay in 2023, and the Oilers are an overwhelming and deserved favorite that's currently ranked in the top 15 in the nation in the most recent CSCAA polls.
But while Hillsdale has an uphill battle to take back the title, the Chargers have a strong team in their own right, led by an excellent distance crew, strong seniors, and a pair of returning All-Americans.
The 2024 G-MAC/MEC Championships will be contested over four days beginning on Wednesday at the C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton, Ohio. The Great Midwest Athletic Conference and its four teams that sponsor women's swimming compete for a shared championship with the six teams that offer women's swimming in the Mountain East Conference, making for a 10-team field at this weekend's meet.
Four of Hillsdale's five first-team All-G-MAC honorees return from last year, led by juniors Elise Mason and Megan Clifford. Mason is a six-time G-MAC/MEC champion in the 500, 1,000 and 1,650 freestyle events who's never lost a distance race in the G-MAC/MEC Championships, and will look to extend her dominance of the distance events another year, while Clifford is one of the top butterfly swimmers in both Hillsdale and G-MAC history, and took seventh in the 200 butterfly at least year's NCAA DII Championships.
Also returning for Hillsdale are junior Joanna Burnham, the defending G-MAC/MEC champion in the 400 IM, and senior Caroline Holmes, a former G-MAC Freshman of the Year with a long list of placements in the backstroke and freestyle, as well as relays.
In addition to that young core, several Hillsdale freshmen and first-year swimmers will be making their debut at this event, looking to make their mark.
On top of the team title, Hillsdale will seek to bring home as many individual medals as it can, while also trying to set personal bests in events with an eye toward qualification for the 2024 NCAA DII Championships in March.
Tickets are available to purchase for all interested spectators at the links above, with a $75 all-session pass available, or $10 passes for each morning and $15 passes for each evening session across the four days.