MHSAA Girls Division II Preview: Greaves and Olsen Look to Defend Titles

MHSAA Girls Swimming & Diving Division II Championships

• January 15-16th, 2021
• Grand Rapids Northview High School, Grand Rapids, MI
• Short Course Yards (SCY)
• Meet Page
• Psych Sheet
• 2019 Results

After a difficult year for everyone, the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is set for its girls swimming & diving state championships this weekend. Typically held in the November, the championships are being held in mid-January this season after a rollercoaster of a schedule. The boys swimming & diving season is slated to start after the conclusion of the meets this weekend.

Due to Michigan’s state Covid-19 protocols, which have changed regularly, the season was started and stopped on multiple occasions. Michigan was also one of the most strict states when it came to allowing pools to be open, which, of course, has a direct effect on swimmers’ ability to train. There are noticeably less swimmers in each event than we would typically see.

Birmingham Seaholm enters this weekend’s Division II Championships with a good shot at defending their team title from last year. BHS holds the top seed in all 3 relays, and has 12 top-8 seeds in the individual events.

Birmingham Seaholm won the 200 medley and 200 free relays at last year’s championships, and most importantly, they return all 7 swimmers from those relays. They’re also seeded 1st in the 400 free relay, which they finished 2nd in last year. That squad was the same as the 200 free relay, meaning they return all 4 swimmers there as well, while Midland Dow, the defending champions, graduated 3 of its 4 legs.

Farmington HS senior Madeline Greaves, a Purdue recruit, is looking to defend her title in the 200 IM, and pick up a title in the 100 breast. Greaves won the DII title last year with a 2:04.35, and enters the meet this year with a seed of 2:04.59. That 2:04.35 stands as Greaves’ personal best. She will also be competing in the 100 breast, where she holds the top seed at 1:04.74. She has a personal best of 1:04.51 from 2018. Greaves won the 500 last year, and is switching to the 100 breast for this champs.

Fenton HS junior Gracie Olsen will race to defend her titles in the 200 free and 100 fly, where she is seeded 1st in both. Last year, Olsen clocked a 1:48.98 to win the 200 free, establishing her personal best. She enters the meet this weekend seeded at 1:51.28. She also holds the top seed in the 100 fly by well over a second with a 55.17. Her personal best sits at the 54.62 she swam to win the event last year.

Jenison freshman Grace Albrecht holds the top seed in the 50 free with a 23.76, marking the only seed in the field under 24 seconds. Fellow freshman Francesca Minous is the 2nd seed, with a 24.09.