GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Derek Bosko and Jake Burris were selected for the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association most valuable awards as Albion College finished its most successful season in the league's championship meet in more than two decades.
Albion finished second in the meet for the first time since 1994. The Britons rolled up 766 ½ points to finish 185 behind Calvin College. Hope College was third (624), followed by Kalamazoo College (558), Olivet College (206) and Alma College (13).
Bosko, a junior from Holland, Mich., was voted the Most Valuable Swimmer. His Saturday highlight included sprinting to first place in the 100-yard freestyle in 44.70 seconds and setting a 44.79 split as Albion finished second in the 400 freestyle relay.
Earlier in the meet, Bosko won the individual title in the 50 freestyle (20.51) and he set a 43.68 split (second-fastest in MIAA meet history) as he nearly rallied Albion to victory in the 400 medley relay. In all, he won two individual events and fourth in another and was a member of four relay teams that finished second.
Burris, a first-year student-athlete from Chelsea, Mich., finished as the Most Valuable Diver after winning the 1-meter competition on Thursday and finishing as the runner-up on the 3-meter board on Saturday. Henry Swett, Burris' classmate, was third in the 3-meter competition.
Sebastian Tostado produced a highlight Saturday night when he won his second individual title of the meet. He shaved nearly four seconds off his school record in winning the 200 backstroke in 1:49.98. Nick Smith, Tom Parsons and Nick Deppner joined Tostado in the championship race, finishing sixth, seventh and eighth.
First-year swimmer Nate Kozycki completed a successful meet with a runner-up finish in the 200 butterfly (1:53.28). He claimed his place on the all-MIAA team Friday with the individual title in the 100 butterfly.
Albion produced a bunch of points in the 1,650 freestyle as Kyle Harvey, Blake Blake and Sean Pearce finished in the top eight.
Albion advanced two men – Lucas Harder and Hunter Jackman – to the championship race in the 200 breaststroke and Parker Belmore finished fifth in the 100 freestyle.
