2018-19 Swimming & Diving All-Conference Team (PDF)



INDIANAPOLIS – With the 2018-19 season officially closed, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference All-Conference Swimming & Diving selections were announced on Thursday afternoon. 
 
The NCAA Championships saw two member institutions represented on the women's side as Findlay and Hillsdale each sent student-athletes to Indianapolis where CSCAA All-American honors were earned in their respective events. 
 
In addition to awards handed out at the second annual Great Midwest/Mountain East Swimming & Diving Championships in Canton, each league presented all-conference honors based on order of finish. 
 
Thirty-seven different women’s swimmers and divers comprised the first team and the honorable mention team. 
 
The Great Midwest Women’s Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Year was awarded to Hillsdale senior Anika Ellingson. 
 
The breaststroke specialist made a splash at national with NCAA First Team All-American honors with a sixth-place finish in the prelims and top-eight placement in the final heat.
 
Ellingson also broke the conference record and was also a national qualifier in the 200 breaststroke. She made the all-conference first team list along with teammates Katherine Heeres, Catherine Voisin and Suzanne De Tar. 
 
Conference champion Findlay led all teams with eight first-team all-conference selections and Malone added four, all underclassmen with Karly Bruce, Kaila Butterworth, Denise Quentin and Abby Reynolds. 
 
Tiffin’s freshman diver Diamond Boyer also made the prestigious list. 
 
As voted upon by his peers, Hillsdale’s Kurt Kirner was voted as the Great Midwest Coach of the Year, officially matching his coach of the meet award he earned at the combined conference championships. 
 
The Great Midwest Freshman of the Year was Findlay’s Chris McFarland as she contributed to a pair of All-American relay races for the Oilers.
 
She won the 100-yard backstroke and helped win the 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay at the conference championship event. She was also second in the 100 butterfly. 
 
McFarland made nationals in her first year individually in the 100 backstroke with her qualifying time at 55.62, among the top 25 in the country.