SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s swimming team concluded its 2021 season Sunday at the Vic Gustafson Pool with a 1097-752 dual meet victory over St. Thomas. In day two of the meet, the Gusties set five new pool records while winning seven of nine events.
“It really was an amazing weekend after all the obstacles that were put in their way, all the carrots that have been taken away, from hardly any meets during the season, and no conference championship, and no national championship,” Head Coach Jon Carlson said. “I can’t believe how everyone stepped up and embraced this weekend and make it as much like a conference atmosphere as they could. The one bonus is that everyone was all together on the last day. Normally we only have our conference roster there so it made it extra special to have everybody there and racing.”
The 200 medley relay team of Evie Lima (Fy., Neenah, Wis.), Hailey Auran (Sr., Saint Paul), Ellen Hofstede (So., Hopkins), and Lucy Peterson (Fy., Saint Paul) set a pool record with a time of 1:45.74. Auran then won the 400 IM with a pool record time of 4:39.63. Amelia Bjorklund (Sr., Bloomington) followed with a 1:55.74 in the 200 free for the third pool record of the day.
Hofstede then won the 100 butterfly in 57.29. The fourth pool record of the day was set by Auran in the 100 breaststroke, clocking a time of 1:04.73. Hofstede won her second individual race of the day with a 23.79 in the 50 free. And the 400 free relay team of Peterson, Abby Yartz (So., Bemidji), Bjorlkund, and Hofstede set the pool record with a time of 3:29.67.
“To break a school record in a non-championship meet, in a timed final meet, is something special,” Carlson said. “We have a great pool but it’s not a championship meet pool. To have them to continue to step up and break pool record after pool record after school record after first-year records, it was inspiring.
“I want to thank the teams that competed, especially St. Thomas. Their coach, Scott, and I talked and we both agreed that it’s only fitting that we swam each other in their last meet as a member of the MIAC. Scott and I shared a nice moment at the end and they will definitely be missed. I think we made each other better because we kept ratcheting up how fast we had to swim to try to beat each other. Good luck to them as they go Division I.”