WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- St. Catherine claimed the four-team meet with an overall team score of 1066
- Over two days, the St. Kate's swimmers collected 32 lifetime best swims. 
- Junior Jordyn Wentzel set the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) record and program record in the 400-yard individual medley on Sunday with a time of 4:21.34

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MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The St. Catherine University swimming team concluded their abbreviated season on Sunday at the Women's Quadrangular hosted at the University of Minnesota Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center. 

The Wildcats held a steady lead going into day two having scored 515 points and claiming seven of the nine top-times. Day two opened with St. Kate's winning the 200-yard medley relay title with a team made up of Macy Klein, Jordyn Wentzel, Hannah Svendsen, and Sydney Grohman clocking in at 1:45.91. 

The first individual event of the day was the 400-yard individual medley that resulted in Wentzel resetting her own program record along with a conference record that was held by a Carleton swimmer since 2017. Wentzel's time of 4:21.34 was the fastest in Division III this season along with a lifetime best for the junior standout. Senior Mikayla Meece also appeared in the 400-yard IM taking fourth place with a time of 5:07.19. 

As one of the five seniors honored on Sunday, Meece shared; "I am so incredibly grateful for this season. It may not have been what I expected, but I made a lot of memories and new friends along the way. This weekend was an absolute blessing in disguise because I got to end my career with my teammates and best friends surrounding and supporting me the entire time.  I want to thank my coaches, who I know have put countless hours into planning, coordinating, and coaching all of our practices. I especially want to thank them for giving me one last meet to compete at! I also want to thank my teammates who were there for me this entire season! They are honestly what got me through this year. I am so proud of all the team this weekend, they all swam their hearts out and did an amazing job racing! Even though my college swimming career has come to an end, I can't wait to see what these Wildcats accomplish in the future."

Following the 400 IM was the 200-yard freestyle with Klein and Grohman neck and neck through the race with Klein coming in first with a time of 1:54.62. Grohman's time of 1:54.78 was a season-best and is the fifth-fastest time in program history. As one of the program's most decorated competitors, Grohman said, "Twelve years ago when I joined this sport I never would've imagined I would achieve what I have. I joined to make friends and increase my confidence but got so much more. Every coach, teammate, and friend has impacted me and helped shape me into the person I am today and I couldn't be more thankful for all of the experiences. I will forever cherish the memories made over the years, especially the past four. This weekend was not the cap to a career anyone could imagine, but it ended with the best group of people I could ask for. I watched a group of amazing young women come together to leave everything they had in the pool and couldn't be more proud. This program has a lot ahead of it and I'm excited to watch it continue to grow, even if it will now have to be from the stands. All I can say is thank you for the past four years, St. Kate's. You gave me a home when I didn't think I needed one. A huge thank you to my parents and family for helping me through the ups and downs associated with this sport and being my biggest fans. I would not be where I am today if they wouldn't have pushed me to keep going." 

St. Kate's claimed five of the six top-times in the 100-yard butterfly led by junior Maggie Menso finishing with a lifetime best of 59.43. Svendsen finished the event in second with a season-best time of 59.72 followed by Gillian Durand at 1:00.10 for third. Rookies Sammi Friedrich and Hannah Wetzel were fifth and six, respectively, with times of 1:02.03 and 1:02.27. 

In the fifth event of the day, first-year Anneke van Oosterom finished the 200-yard backstroke with the team's top time in the 200-yard backstroke just ahead of senior Molly McMahon with a lifetime best 2:19.43 for fourth place. McMahon noted following Sunday's event, "Despite all the difficulties that came with this past year, our team showed that with enough heart and the right attitude, the sky's the limit. Starting with those who this weekend marked the start of their journey to those who today was their last time competing as a Wildcat, everyone came together to accomplish something special. Was it easy, no, but nothing truly worthwhile comes about without some hard work by both the swimmers and coaches. Our coaching staff is constantly willing to do whatever it takes to give us the best opportunity to be successful. I am beyond proud to be able to say that I am a part of this team and can't wait to see what this next year brings." 

Senior Sammi Meyer also appeared in the 200-yard backstroke swimming a season-best time of 2:30.64. Meyer commented, "4 years truly went by in the blink of an eye. This season was certainly not what we expected, but I could not have asked for a better ending, given the circumstances. The last 8 weeks of training were brutal, but our dedication revealed itself this weekend. I am so unbelievably proud of everyone. I'd like to thank my teammates, who have become my closest friends, for an unforgettable 4 years. I feel incredibly blessed for the many lifelong friendships that have formed. This team pushed me athletically, personally, and academically more than I ever thought was possible and I am so grateful. I can't wait to watch this team continue to grow and defend our MIAC Championship."

The final relay of the weekend was the 400-yard freestyle relay with the All-American team of Wentzel, Klein, Menso, and Grohman defending their MIAC title and clocking in at 3:28.87. The day concluded with the 1,650-yard freestyle with St. Kate's taking the top-time times. Senior Tori Hagstrom finished the event in fifth place with a time of 18:55.07. Hagstrom shared, "4 years have come and gone so fast I cannot believe it. This year took us through a whirlwind but I truly believe we came out a stronger team. Our dedication and perseverance showed this weekend as we concluded our 2020-21 season. This sport and team mean the world to me and I will cherish all of the memories we have made together. A special thank you to my parents who have supported me on this journey wholeheartedly. Thank you to the coaching staff who were willing to train a sprinter into a distance swimmer. And lastly, a big thank you to my teammates who have become my dearest friends. I will miss being on the pool deck but I look forward to cheering from the stands next year! I am proud to call myself a Wildcat and cannot wait to see all the team accomplishes." 

Final Results

Event 10 - 200-yard Medley Relay
1. St. Catherine A, 1:45.91
    Klein, Wentzel, Svendsen, Grohman
St. Catherine B, 1:54.75
    Voelker, Carefoot, Bartell, McCollar
St. Catherine C, 1:58.09
    Hagstrom, Erikson, Mertens, Hall
St. Catherine D, 2:06.07
    Le Bris, Meyer, Wetzel, Rardin

Event 11 - 400-yard Individual Medley
1. Jordyn Wentzel, 4:21.34 *MIAC Record, Program Record, Lifetime Best
4. Mikayla Meece, 5:07.19

Event 12 - 200-yard Freestyle 
1. Macy Klein, 1:54.62
2. Sydney Grohman, 1:54.78
4. Annie Voss, 1:57.18, Lifetime Best
6. Sydney McCollor, 2:00.21
7. Molly McMahon, 2:02.01, Lifetime Best
8. Tori Hagstrom, 2:02.39
10. Evynn Hall, 2:05.50
15. Issy Rardin, 2:13.58
20. Jade Le Bris, 2:19.76

Event 13 - 100-yard Butterfly
1. Maggie Menso, 59.43, Lifetime Best
2. Hannah Svendsen, 59.72
3. Gillian Durand, 1:00.10
5. Sammi Friedrich, 1:02.03
6. Hannah Wetzel, 1:02.27, Lifetime Best
9. Julia Mertens, 1:04.31
11. Anneke van Oosterom, 1:04.49, Lifetime Best
12. Sammi Meyer, 1:06.96, Lifetime Best

Event 14 - 100-yard Breaststroke
3. Gracie Carefoot, 1:09.72
6. Andrea Voelker, 1:12.70, Lifetime Best
9. Sophia Erikson, 1:15.56

Event 15 - 200-yard Backstroke
3. Anneke van Oosterom, 2:14.94
4. Molly McMahon, 2:19.43, Lifetime Best
6. Sammi Meyer, 2:30.64

Event 16 - 50-yard Freestyle
1. Macy Klein, 23.81
2. Sydney Grohman, 24.22
6. Andrea Voelker, 25.45
7. Sydney McCollor, 25.46
11. Annie Voss, 26.06, Lifetime Best
13. Brenna Bartell, 26.23
14. Sammi Friedrich, 26.24
17. Hannah Wetzel, 26.75
18. Evynn Hall, 26.78, Lifetime Best
19. Mikayla Meece, 27.28, Lifetime Best
21. Issy Rardin, 27.55
22. Julia Mertens, 27.70
33. Sophia Erikson, 30.47
35. Jade Le Bris, 31.91

Event 17 - 400-yard Freestyle Relay
1. St. Catherine A, 3:28.87
    Wentzel, Klein, Menso, Grohman
St. Catherine B, 3:38.27
    Voelker, Svendsen, McCollor, Voss
St. Catherine C, 3:42.57
    Durand, van Oosterom, Friedrich, McMahon
St. Catherine D, 3:51.55
    Carefoot, Meece, Wetzel, Mertens
St. Catherine E, 4:02.01
    Meyer, Le Bris, Hall, Bartell

Event 18 - 1,650-yard Freestyle
1. Maggie Menso, 17:12.59
2. Gracie Carefoot, 18:25.00, Lifetime Best
3. Hannah Svendsen, 18:28.95
4. Gillian Durand, 18:45.47, Lifetime Best
5. Tori Hagstrom, 18:55.07