Swimming and diving teams launch 2009-10 season at MIAA Relays

The Olivet College men's and women's swimming and diving teams launched their 2009-10 seasons by competing in the 2009 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Relays today at Calvin College's Venema Aquatic Center.

The Comet men had four relays finish in second-place. The 200 backstroke team of Joel Knight (Battle Creek/Lakeview), Mike Harden (St. Johns), Jon Bachman (Battle Creek/Lakeview) and Nick Edgar (Lansing/Eastern) clocked-in at 1:42.79. The 500 freestyle relay team of Bachman, Brock Jackson (Sturgis), Austin Munn (Pickney) and Rick Kinsey (Chelsea) swam in 4:17.39. Rafe Maxwell (Bay City/Western), Knight, Jackson and Harden completed the 200 butterfly relay in 1:37.17. The 200 freestyle relay team of Harden, Munn, Jackson and Kellen Beckwith (Farmington Hills/North Farmington) finished in 1:27.77. Beckwith, Matt Marquette (Kalmazoo/Loy Norrix), Maxwell and Harden placed third in the 200 medley relay (1:38.94)

The women's team had two relays finish in fourth-place. Erica Schlabach (Northridge, Ind.), Caitlin Lohr (Holland/Hamilton), Crystal Jager (Holland/Hamilton) and Jana Blodgett (Sturgis) completed the 200 butterfly relay in 1:53.29. The 400 medley relay team of Schlabach, Jager, Jennie Plamondon (Flushing) and Jessica Howard (Fort Wayne, Ind./ Homestead) touched the wall in 4:30.88.

Olivet will open the dual meet portion of its schedule Saturday, Nov. 7, when it hosts Hope College. Action inside the Upton Center Natatorium gets under way at 1 p.m.