Swim and dive:
Beginning on Feb. 16, women’s swim and dive competed in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (MIAC) Championships, coming in third of nine after four days of events. Izzy Treanor ’24 took gold in the one-meter dive, and Sophia Nevin ’22 set a new school record in the 200-yard breaststroke, coming in second in the final. Nevin also came in second in the 100-yard breaststroke. At the meet, Maya Knutson ’22 came in second in the 200-yard freestyle and also set a new school record in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 51.42, coming in third overall.
The men’s side came in fourth overall out of six teams. Oscar Hanifl ’24 came in third in the men’s three-meter dive, while Tim Rizzo ’23 came in second in the 400-yard individual medley. Additionally, Rizzo and Daniel Bloedow ’24 came in third in the 1650-yard freestyle and 200-yard butterfly, respectively, to help the team close out their season.
Three divers, Hanifl, Treanor, and Harris Kramer ’22 then advanced to represent the Oles at National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Diving Regionals in Grand Rapids, Mich. Treanor pulled off two top-ten finishes, coming in eighth in the one-meter dive and ninth in the three-meter dive. Hanifl also came in 13 out of 27 in the three-meter dive. By finishing in the top-ten, Treanor qualified for both the one-meter and three-meter dives at the national competition.
Knutson and Nevin will join Treanor to represent the Oles at the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships beginning on March 16.
Women’s hockey:
No. 10 seed women’s hockey began their MIAC playoff run with a first round match-up against No. 7 seed Bethel on Feb. 23. Despite an opening goal from Annika Patterson ’23, the Oles lost the game 1-3. They finished their season with a record of 9-17 overall.
When asked about how the season went and what the team is looking forward to next season, Patterson said, “We had a really great season this year in terms of program growth and team building. Looking back on the season, there was a whole lot to be proud of. To see where we came from versus where we are headed is super exciting because we could see the growth this season. We had a great group of upperclass-women this year, who were great leaders for the young team that we have. With a young team, we have a lot of depth going into next year. We have momentum to build off of and we are looking forward to being big competitors in the MIAC next season.”
Men’s hockey:
After receiving a first round bye, no. seven seed men’s hockey faced no. two seed Concordia-Moorhead in the quarterfinals on Feb. 26. The teams ended the second period tied 2-2, but a late game-winning goal by Sean Walsh ’25 in the third period earned the Oles the upset victory. The Oles will now face no. 3 seed St. John’s in the semi-finals. The Oles have played St. John’s twice before this season, losing both games by two goals each.
Track and field:
This weekend the Ole track and field teams competed in the MIAC indoor championships.
On the women’s side, Ellen Mickelson ’22 came in second in the one mile run. Sofia Carlson ’25 and Alison Bode ’25 came in second and third, respectively, in the 5000 meter run. Additionally, Mickelson was joined by Christine Albrecht ’23, Bella Call ’24, and Riley Mauzer ’23 in the distance medley, and their team effort resulted in a second place finish. Annika Muller ’23 also came in second in the triple jump to help the Oles earn a fourth place finish overall.
On the men’s side, Reuben Kosche ’22 and Ian Curtis ’24 finished second and third, respectively, in the 3000 meter run. Additionally, Steve Peper ’22 came in second in the high jump and Lucas Kramarczuk ’23 came in second in the triple jump. These performances, along with other top finishes, led the men’s side to a third place finish overall.
On March 4, a group of track and field athletes will represent St. Olaf at the Wartburg Last Chance Qualifier in hopes of qualifying to compete at the indoor championships in N.C. on March 11.
Women’s basketball:
On Feb. 19, St. Olaf women’s basketball beat St. Mary’s 62-57 in the first round of the MIAC playoffs. Advancing to the quarterfinals, the team played top-seeded Augsburg on Wednesday, Feb. 23, losing 45-67. The team finished the season with a 7-15 record in conference play.
Men’s basketball:
Due to their fifth seed position, men’s basketball received a first round bye in the MIAC playoffs, immediately facing Gustavus in the quarterfinals on Feb. 23. Thanks to a three-point buzzer-beater from Dominic Bledsoe ’22, the Oles won the game 76-73.
They then faced top-seeded St. John’s in the semifinals on Feb. 25. Despite their early playoff success, the Oles lost the game 57-76, bringing their playoff run to an end.
