GRINNELL, Iowa – Following impressive performances against some of the nation's best competition, Grinnell College student-athletes have swept the Midwest Conference Performer of the Week honors in swimming and diving.
Sarah Lopez '26 was the women's winner, while
Aidan Donovan '28 won on the men's side.
Donovan, from Beloit, Wis. (Beloit Memorial), shattered three MWC and school records at the highly-competitive University of Chicago Phoenix Fall Classic over the weekend. New marks were set in the 50-yard freestyle (20.41 seconds), 100 freestyle (44.89) and 200 freestyle relay with
Spencer Pfaff '29,
Evan Feilmeyer '28 and
Rommin Adl '26 (1:21.38). Donovan's time in the 100 free was an NCAA "B" cut, as well. He also swam on the 400 freestyle relay team that went 3:00.95, second-best in GC history, as well as the 200 and 400 medley relays that finished in 1:31.93 and 3:22.22. Those times are each fourth on GC's record board. He swam the 200 freestyle, as well, going 1:44.11 to rank 17
th all-time at Grinnell. All of Donovan's individual performances, other than the 200 freestyle, and all the relays are tops in the MWC this season.
Lopez, from Spring, Texas (Woodlands), posted MWC-leading times in three individual events and three more in relays at the Phoenix Fall Classic. Her times of 58.09 in the 100 butterfly, 2:08.51 in the 200 butterfly and 2:09.55 in the 200 individual medley all lead the league. She also swam on the MWC-leading 400 freestyle (3:37.70), 800 freestyle (8:04.72) and 400 medley relays (3:58.99). Additionally, Lopez's clocking of 59.98 in the 100 backstroke is second in the league.
