The Indiana Wesleyan men’s swim team competed in the Mid-South Conference Championships and took fourth place. The Wildcats were only a half point behind Shawnee State University in third place.
Sophomore David Beatty said in this year’s conference championship that Indiana Wesleyan was a dark horse.
“We took third in a lot of our relays, which is great because last year we lost all of them, which is an insane jump,” Beatty said. “The moment just diving in and knowing we beat teams we were not supposed to beat was fun.”
In the 400-meter free relay, the team of Beatty, Xander Ankney, Hudson Vonk and Grant Brown took 3rd place and set a program record time of 3:09.77.
In the all-conference selection, Beatty also took 2nd in the 100-freestyle and set a program record with a time of 45.28 seconds.
Also named to the all-conference team was senior Grant Brown, who took 2nd in the 100-meter butterfly and the program record-setting 400-meter freestyle team.
“I knew it was going to be one of my last meets, so I had a more serious outlook towards the whole event,” Brown said.
Brown said the team’s chemistry has grown tremendously and has translated to the pool.
“Helping each other out in our social lives and just becoming friends, I think, helps us push each other and care about each other’s success in the sport,” Brown said.
Beatty said another motivating factor for the team is not wanting to be the weak link and that all the top swimmers are very strong.
“We don’t need to push them. It’s like if I don’t show up and don’t compete, I’m out,” Beatty said.
The swim team set 15 program records at the conference championship.
“The guys seem to show up for conference,” Beatty said. “The whole team’s attitude is different. Everyone is 100% for everybody, 100% cheering.”
Head coach of the men’s and women’s swim and dive team, Stephen Wolcott, is in his first season as the head coach and has helped the Wildcats reach new levels. Beatty said that Coach Wolcott is very smart and knows a lot about swimming techniques.
The team awaits to see who will be participating in the NAIA National Championships, starting March 5, in Elkhart, Indiana.
