RIPON, Wis. -- The Ripon College men's and women's swimming and diving teams competed in a challenging double dual on Saturday afternoon, squaring off against St. Norbert College and Milwaukee School of Engineering in De Pere.
Facing two stronger teams with deeper lineups, the Red Hawks used the meet as a valuable tune-up opportunity while continuing to build toward the postseason. Ripon athletes showed steady performances across the program, highlighted by strong individual swims in both sprint and distance events, along with consistent efforts on the boards.
On the men's side, senior Cooper Herr (Ashwaubenon, Wis., Ashwaubenon HS) delivered one of the top finishes of the day for Ripon, touching first in the 200-yard freestyle. Herr also added a solid performance in the 500 freestyle, anchoring the Red Hawks' distance efforts. In the sprints, junior Wil Hargrave (Ripon, Wis., Wisconsin Connections Academy) and sophomore John Kakuzi (Sheboygan, Wis., Sheboygan Area Lutheran HS) competed in the 50 freestyle, while senior Brendan Kile (Verona, Wis., Verona Area HS) represented Ripon in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly.
The women's team was paced by senior Natalie Weidner (Portage, Wis., Portage HS), who turned in a strong swim in the 200-yard freestyle and followed it up with a competitive effort in the 100 freestyle. Senior Kennedy Moore (De Pere, Wis., De Pere HS) and freshman Andi Brockman (Kaukauna, Wis., Kaukauna HS) added depth in the sprint events, while senior Grace McCrery (Marion, Ohio, Harding HS) and junior Lily McGuire (Crystal Lake, Ill., Crystal Lake South HS) contributed across the individual medley and butterfly races. Ripon also picked up points in diving, led by senior Mary Elliot (Bayside, Wis., Whitefish Bay Dominican HS) in the one-meter event.
Both squads continued to gain experience in relay events, with the women's 200 medley relay opening the meet and setting the tone for the afternoon.
With the regular season winding down, Saturday's double dual served as an important final test before championship competition. Ripon will return to action next weekend at the Wisconsin Private College Championships, held Friday, Jan 30 at 5pm and Saturday, Jan 31 at 11am, as the Red Hawks look to peak at the right time against statewide competition.
