The Grand Valley State swim and dive team traveled to Grand Rapids to compete in the Calvin Invitational Thursday-Saturday, Dec 1-3.

The Laker men and women both took home first place, the men with 1,999.5 total team points and the women with 1,587. This was the final competition for the Lakers until the holiday break.

Teams included GVSU, Calvin College, Northern Michigan, Findlay, Grove City College, Kalamazoo College and Valparaiso University.

Evident in many interviews done this year of coaches and players, the Calvin Invitational is important to the Laker swim and dive team. Practices have been in preparation for this competition.

“I think we were prepared,” said GVSU coach Andy Boyce. “The people we have qualifying for nationals are looking really strong, and our big focus is the conference championship in February.”

Over the three days, Emily Gallagher was able to finish top three in 10 out of the 11 events she competed in, including the 200-yard freestyle relay as part of the GVSU A-team with a final time of 1:35.89, and she also took first in the 100-yard breaststroke with a final time of 1:02.46.

“I think I did really well,” Gallagher said. “It was nice having my team cheer me on the whole way.”

A standout performance for the men’s side, Danny Abbott was able to produce quality times yet again. Abbott finished first in the 200-yard freestyle relay as part of the GVSU A-team with a time of 1:20.61. He also finished second in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 20.39, a personal best.

“I think I did OK,” Abbott said. “I was hoping to be a little bit faster, but a personal best isn’t that bad.”

When it comes to Abbott, when he swims a personal best time, it’s likely no one will be able to stop him.

Battling it out with Abbott all season has been sophomore Ben Walling. He has been neck-and-neck with Abbott all year, and this meet was no different. Walling finished first in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 20.31, and third in the 100-yard backstroke with a final time of 49.90.

For the women, Leonie Van Noort was her usual “torpedo-swimming” self, with times that will blow many out of the water. Van Noort finished first in the 1,650-yard freestyle with a time of 16:50.36. She also finished first in the 200-yard freestyle relay as part of the GVSU A-team with a final time of 1:35.89. She also added another first place finish in the 200-yard freestyle with a final time of 1:47.15.

For the men’s diving team, Brad Dalrymple has been consistently great all year. He took first place in the 3-meter dive twice with scores of 555.15 and 539.60. He also first in the 1-meter dive twice with scores of 504.40 and 522.60.

When it came to the women’s diving team, Kayla Marquardt finished third in the 3-meter dive with a score of 411.50 and 390.00. She also finished second and third in the 1-meter dive with a score of 411.15 for second place and 398.35 for third place.

The GVSU swim and dive team will be on break from competitions until near the start of the winter semester. They will be back in action Saturday, Jan. 7 against Wayne State. It will take place in the GVSU Fieldhouse pool and will be broadcast on ESPN3.