Simpson College swim team competed in their final home meet of the conference season this past Saturday as they took on Coe College. Not only was this their final home meet, but for seniors Christopher Olds and Jared Oosterhuis, it was their last time competing for the Storm in their home pool.
For Oosterhuis, swimming for Simpson is important.
“Being able to swim here at Simpson has meant so much to me. If you would’ve told 12 year Jared he would swim in college he would’ve thought you were crazy, especially since he just swam a 44 second 50 freestyle (for those of you non-swimmers, that is exceedingly slow),” he said. “Being recruited to swim in college is never something I thought would happen to me.”
Oosterhuis won the 50 meter free with a time of 22.8 seconds and Olds was a part of the 200 meter free relay team which took home first place.
Oosterhuis’s final season didn’t go quite as planned with his coach quitting right before the season started and suffering an injury which put him out of the pool for 7 weeks.
“We got through it, though, and after hiring a new coach, people are setting personal and team records, and I am pushing my PRs and various sprint records,” he said. “I am looking forward to tapering and racing for my last time at the A-R-C championships in two weeks.”
The two Storm seniors were not the only members who contributed to the successes of the team either. First-year Colby Briggs took home two first place medals in the 200 and 500 meter free, and Ky Fredrick came up in second in the 100 free.
Oosterhuis believes the team is in good hands due to the talent of the younger members of the team.
“We have very good leadership in our underclassman group, and I think they will continue to grow and thrive as a team even once the seniors are gone,” he said.
The Simpson women’s swim captured five first place wins during the meet. The charge was led by Audrey Bramlett who broke a record in the 200m IM with a time of 2:17.11 and put up another impressive race in the 100 fly with a time of 1:02.91 which put her at third on the school record book.
Allison Robinson took home first in the 500 and 1000 free, Mia Howe brought home second in the 50 free, followed by Riley Carl in the 100 free.
Although both teams were able to put up many impressive races throughout the day, neither team was able to beat Coe.
The next meet for both teams will be held in Decorah on Thursday, Feb. 19, where athletes will compete at the American Rivers Conference championships.
