History was made last week after the Grand Valley State men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams competed in the 2015-16 Division II National Championships in Indianapolis.

In the final overall standings, the men’s squad placed seventh with a final total score of 233.5, while the women made history by finishing fifth with a total score of 226, the women’s best finish in program history.

“We did incredibly well,” said GVSU head coach Andy Boyce. “Fifth is the highest the women’s team has ever been.”

Junior Leonie Van Noort led the way for the women’s team, winning two events and also making history by becoming the first women’s swimmer or diver to win at nationals in GVSU program history. She won both the 200 and 1,650-meter freestyle events. Van Noort’s 1,650-meter freestyle clocked in at 16:34.44, good for a GVSU record.

“I’m honored that I’m the first Laker woman and I hope that a lot of girls will follow me,” Van Noort said. “This meet was amazing and it was nice to race against fast swimmers.”

After finishing second in the final GLIAC meet standings, the women’s team was able to turn up the intensity and finish the season strong.

Senior Gianni Ferrero once again led the men’s side with a huge victory in the 100-meter butterfly event. He also finished second in the 200-meter individual medley.

Along with Ferrero, the GVSU men’s squad was also aided by the performance of freshman diver Brad Dalrymple. His score of 540.45 on the 1-meter diving board propelled him to the top spot and national championship.

The men’s team fell short of finishing in the top five after winning the GLIAC conference meet, but still performed up to Boyce’s standards.

“It was amazing to see the whole team rally behind each other every session of the meet all week long,” Boyce said. “I’m extremely proud of this team. Go Lakers.”

GVSU swimmers and divers received 59 total All American honors and four men and women set NCAA records. Ferrero led the charge in All-American awards, securing six for himself alone, while Dalrymple, Danny Abbott, Marius Mikalauskas, Gabriel Souza, Jared Gregory, Ian Ellis, Ben Walling and Joe Gucwa all recorded multiple for the Laker men.

Van Noort, unsurprisingly, notched a women’s team-high seven All-American honors, while Lara Deibel and Mercedes Martinez added four each, and Kathryn Culver, Emily Gallagher and Sam Postmus all recorded three apiece.

“The NCAA championships are very motivating,” Boyce said. “You are able to see so many talented people every day.”

Strong finishes from both squads at the national championships will serve as momentum for next season. The men’s side will miss Ferrero, a senior, while the women’s side will be without senior leader Hannah Deak.

Both squads will return key contributors next year, however, as Van Noort will lead the women’s side, and divers will help lead the mens side in 2016-17.

The Lakers set seven school records at the meet. Queens (N.C.) won national championships for both the men and the women.