BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Tuesday announced its Swimming & Diving Athletes of the Week and Gustavus earned both awards. Erik Small (Fy., Hudson, Wis) is this week’s Men’s Athlete of the Week and Ellen Hofstede (Fy., Hopkins) is the Women’s Athlete of the Week.
Hofstede won all five of her events on Saturday as Gustavus cruised to victory at the six-team Grace Goblirsch Invite. Hofstede won her three individual races – 50 free (24.78), 100 free (53.58), and 100 butterfly (1:00.80) – and was a member of the winning 200 medley (1:50.77) and 200 free (1:39.82) relay teams. Her freestyle times are top-two conference marks this year, while her fly time ranks ninth.
Small competed in five events, winning four, on Saturday at the Grace Goblirsch Invite to help Gustavus secure a convincing victory in the five-team meet. The first-year swimmer was a 100-meter specialist, winning the 100 freestyle (48.25) and 100 butterfly (53.31), and taking second in the 100 backstroke (55.93). His time in the 100 freestyle is good for second-best in the conference this season, while his fly and backstroke times both rank in the top-six. Small was also a member of the winning 200 medley (1:38.59) and 400 freestyle (3:12.36) relay teams.
Gustavus has won all four MIAC Men’s Swimmer of the Week awards this season with Nolan Larson (Jr., West Des Moines, Iowa) claiming the first two and Dane Hudson (Fy., Eden Prairie) earning last week’s honor. This is the first time this season a Gustie women’s swimmer has earned the award.