Grinnell Swim Teams Place Sixth at Phoenix Fall Classic
The Grinnell College men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams had a strong weekend at the 16th Annual Phoenix Fall Classic in Chicago, held November 21–23. Both teams finished sixth overall in a tough 10-team NCAA Division III field that included New York University, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Chicago, Gettysburg College, and others.
The Pioneer women scored 802 points to take sixth place. New York University won the women’s meet, followed by Washington University, Chicago, Gettysburg, and Missouri–St. Louis.
On the men’s side, Grinnell also finished sixth with 843.5 points. New York University won the men’s meet as well, with Washington University, Chicago, Gettysburg, and Missouri–St. Louis rounding out the top five.
One of Grinnell’s best results came in the men’s 200-yard freestyle relay. The A relay team of Spencer Pfaff, Aidan Donovan, Evan Feilmeyer, and Nicky Adl placed fourth in 1:21.38. That performance scored big points and showed that Grinnell could race with some of the top programs in Division III.
The Pioneer women opened the meet with a solid swim in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The A relay of Samantha Cook, Tory Morse, Ciara Vogler, and Sophie Juethner finished 12th in 1:38.61, while the B and C relays also turned in competitive times to add depth and more points.
Diving also helped boost Grinnell’s team scores. In women’s 1-meter diving, first-year diver Alex Kruse led the way with a seventh-place finish and a score of 378.35. Teammates Evelyn Deutsch and Bella Nesbeth added more points by placing 11th and 13th.
Grinnell swimmers collected points across many individual races during the three-day meet. In the women’s 100-yard backstroke, Sarah Lopez finished 17th in 58.09 seconds, and first-year swimmer Simone Bennett placed 26th in 58.93 seconds, giving the Pioneers more scoring swims in the evening finals.
The distance swimmers also contributed, with several women earning spots in the scoring heats of the 500-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle, and more Pioneers reaching the finals in the 200-yard individual medley.
On both the men’s and women’s teams, Grinnell used its depth to stay in the middle of a strong field. Multiple relays placed in the top 24, and a steady group of swimmers reached B and C finals throughout the weekend.
With matching sixth-place finishes at one of the top mid-season meets in Division III, the Pioneers leave Chicago with confidence and momentum as they head into the heart of their season.
