Jam-packed stands help Little Giants blow DePauw out of the water

Ethan Wallace ’25 | Sports Editor

Tensions were high – as they always are – when the DePauw Tigers came to Crawfordsville for the annual rivalry dual. After an excruciating 146-148 loss to the School Down South last year – one that came down to the final event – Wabash swimming & diving was hell-bent on a bounce-back win. What they didn’t expect was the fashion in which they would get their revenge.

The meet, held on Friday, December 6, saw one the most upbeat and energized atmospheres ever to descend on the Class of 1950 Natatorium. The balcony overlooking the pool was overflowing with parents, students and visiting prospects who were staying for Scarlett Honors Weekend, all of whom did their best to turn the rivalry dual into a marquee event.

“I can’t thank the students and the parents and everyone that came out to support us enough,” said Head Swimming & Diving Coach Will Bernhardt. “Because there was a whole student section up there for the majority of the meet. They were yelling, they were screaming, they were getting amped up… And for them to match and exceed our energy – just means so much to us in the swimming and the diving events.”

What unfolded in the water was a blow-out of monumental proportions. The Little Giants dominated the visiting Tigers 194-100.

“We weren’t expecting to win by that much,” said Bernhardt. “But our guys are competitors, and they laid it out on the line. They just went out after it attacked it from the very first relay.  And they never let up, and that’s exactly how we train. That’s exactly how we ask them to come to practice every day. It means a lot. It was a lot of fun.”

From the opening event – the 200-yard medley relay, where Ryan West ’28, Quinn Sweeney ’27, Brody Page ’27 and Ethan Johns ’25 took gold with a 1:36.09 finish – Wabash converted victories in the water into a wave of chants from the thrilled fans. And, of course, that energy turned into more wins.

“I loved everybody’s energy coming into the water,” said Benny Torres ’28. “I felt so confident in my first event. My nerves were not even there. Feeling the support from the crowd. I just had to go out and just do my best.”

Despite expectations for another close showdown, similar to previous years, Bernhardt’s team put together a statline that’s al0mst too good to be true. In seven of the 16 events Wabash swept the top-three spots. And in 12 events Wabash had at least two of the top-three spots. 

Top-three sweeps 

Ryan West was the top scorer for the Scarlett & White in his freshman debut to the rivalry. He earned four first-place finishes, coming out on top in the 200-yard medley relay, 100-yard backstroke, the 200-yard backstroke and the 200-yard individual medley.

“I was nervous heading into my first event,” said West. “But I looked at the stands, and I just saw a sea of red. It just felt like it gave me that extra energy.”

Continuing the trend of younger swimmers making their marks, Mason Gilliam ’28 won the 500-yard and 1000-yard freestyle events, while picking up two second-place finishes elsewhere in the meet.

Despite their exponentially increasing deficit, the DePauw team brought their signature style of energy, making the otherwise lopsided contest just as passionate as in previous seasons. 

“I knew it was gonna be a bit heated,” said Gilliam. “I was pretty nervous for my first event. But once I got in [the water] and saw what we were doing. The nervousness went away. [I had] a great time.”

Three more of the Little Giants’ 11 first-place finishes came from Johns, Sweeney and Page, who won the  200-yard freestyle, 200-yard butterfly and 100-yard butterfly, respectively. 

The final two top finishes came on the diving boards where DePauw didn’t enter any athletes. Faced with no opponents, the Wabash divers relied on friendly competition for a fun day on the boards. 

Alex Arruza ’26 came out on top in the three-meter dive. Meanwhile in a fitting send off, Keane Albright ’25, who will conclude his time at Wabash after this semester, won the low-board competition. 

“This win means so much to me,” said Albright. “We went down in the fall last year. But we had only lost one senior coming into this year, and to win by almost 100 points means the world, especially because this is my last week at Wabash.”

“He’s done everything for the team,” said Bernhardt. “He started here as a swimmer and converted to a diver last year. He’s literally done everything for this team. He’s a great motivator. He understands when guys need help and he goes and he helps them. And, every single day, he puts in the effort that we need to be successful as a team. He means the world to the team.”

After the meet finished, Wabash swim rocked the house with a celebratory “Dear Old Wabash” to put the lid on a thrilling victory. Like many other sports at Wabash, the Little Giants in the water look to the rivalry matchup as the benchmark for a good season. With the win in hand, they can look back at the semester as a success. 

“That was just a fantastic meet,” said Justice Wenz ’25, who earned a pair of individual, second-place finishes on the day. “Being in my senior year as captain with Ethan Johns and John Allen ’25, this is a year to work hard and enjoy the energy of our team. We’ve got an incredible team. And with an energy like this, you can really do anything. So we’re just enjoying one another’s presence, trusting our hard work, trusting in the process and just having fun on the race day.”

The team will continue their season after the New Year at Valparaiso University on January 10, 2025.