The Valpo men’s and women’s swimming teams held their annual Senior Meet Friday evening at the Valparaiso Aquatic Center, honoring the members of the program’s senior class. When the competition hit the pool, the women’s squad earned a dual meet win over Rose-Hulman, emerging victorious in all but one event, while the men claimed five event victories.

How It Happened

• Senior Sophie Morelock (Milan, Mich./Milan) was one of four swimmers on the women’s side to earn multiple individual event wins, as she claimed top honors in the 100 back (1:02.28) and the 200 back (2:15.03).
• A pair of sophomores both captured two events apiece for the Valpo women. Bridget Pollard (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) touched the wall first in the 200 free (2:06.20) and the 500 free (5:41.14), while Sara Strauss (Spring Lake, Mich./Spring Lake) took first place in the 50 free (25.68) and the 200 breast (2:32.15).
• Freshman Emma Schmidt (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley) rounded out the quartet of Valpo women to win a pair of individual events on Friday evening, winning consecutive races as she came home first in the 100 fly (1:02.71) and the 200 IM (2:18.47).
• Three other Beacons earned one win apiece on the women’s side. Freshman Natalie Eaton (Tulsa, Okla./Jenks) won the 100 breast (1:11.59), freshman Alice Korwel (Itasca, Ill./Lake Park) captured the 200 fly (2:21.14) and sophomore Haley Hume (Ballwin, Mo./Marquette) came home with the victory in the 100 free (57.94).
• The Valpo women also took first place in both relays to cap a strong night of swims, posting times of 1:54.46 in the 200 medley relay and 3:52.67 in the 400 free relay.
• On the men’s side, freshman Jackson Oostman (Aurora, Ill./Marmion Academy) led the way with a team-best three event wins on Friday. Oostman touched the wall first in the 100 back (54.18), the 200 back (1:59.58) and the 200 IM (1:59.68).
• Two fellow freshmen joined Oostman with top honors on the men’s ledger. Garrett Hoppman (Midland, Texas/Midland) touched the wall in 2:00.06 to win the 200 fly, while Anthony Martin (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) won the 100 free with a time of 49.11.
• Valpo’s women won the dual meet scoring over the Fightin' Engineers, 185-88, while the men dropped a narrow 163-125 decision to a Rose-Hulman squad which is nationally ranked among D-III programs.
• Three active seniors were recognized during the Senior Meet ceremony prior to the start of competition. Morelock led off a 200 medley relay squad and swam a leg of a 400 free relay squad in addition to her two event wins. Brian Daniels (Brookfield, Wis./Brookfield East) anchored a pair of relay squads and swam the 200 free and 500 free, while Amanda Farmer (Tullahoma, Tenn./Homeschooled [Montevallo]) did not compete on Friday. Also honored were Gus Rytting and Adam Chwieros, both of whom started their time at Valpo as swimmers before transitioning to volunteer assistant roles.

Next Up

Valpo will host another home meet at the Valparaiso Aquatic Center next Friday evening, welcoming Eastern Illinois and Wabash for a tri-meet on Jan. 20, starting at 5 p.m.