Listen Here
By Zak Reinhart
reinhartz@findlay.edu
Findlay’s swimming season kicked off last Saturday with both the men’s and women’s teams taking down Lake Superior State. The reigning G-MAC Championship-winning swim teams are accompanied by a talented freshman class, coming together to make a group that assistant head coach Gabrielle Webster described in one word as “diverse.”
Eight of the athletes on the women’s swim team and 12 of the men are international students. Findlay’s ability to recruit talent outside of the region has been a big part of the strategy over the past several years.
According to swimmers, this diversity has helped foster a welcoming attitude on the team.
“I just feel like everyone’s so supportive of each other,” second-year swimmer Michelle Jativa said. “We always pick each other up, and the environment itself is so very welcoming, friendly, but also competitive. We always push each other to be better.”
When looking forward to the season, the goals set on everyone’s mind may be different, but the whole team has one unified goal:
“I would say a huge one is continuing to win the GMAC championship,” Webster said.
“I feel like it’s to keep on dominating the GMAC,” Javita said.
The women’s team has won the GMAC conference three years in a row, having won in ’23, ’24, and ’25. The men’s team won the GMAC five years in a row, beginning in ’21 and lasting until ’25.
Swim’s talent was on display last Saturday against Lake Superior State, with the men’s squad winning 202-59 and the women’s team winning 209-53.
The women swept the podium in the 200 free, 200 medley relay, 100 breast, 100 free, 200 breast, 100 fly, and the 200 IM.
The men swept the podium in the 200 free, 100 breast, 50 free, 100 free, 100 fly, and the 200 IM.
Findlay’s next meet is the GVSU Invite, Oct. 9 through 10 in Holland, Michigan.
