On the first night of the 2025 G-MAC/MEC Women's Swimming and Diving Championships in Canton, Ohio on Wednsday, Elise Mason completed the first leg of an epic three-part quest.

Mason, a senior for Hillsdale College, captured her fourth straight G-MAC/MEC title in the 1,000 freestyle in 10:22.77, beating second place by nearly seven full seconds. The victory completes a clean sweep of the event in Mason's collegiate career at the G-MAC/MEC Championships, having won every time she's competed without ever dropping a 1,000m freestyle race to a G-MAC or MEC foe.

It's the first of three G-MAC/MEC titles Mason will seek to defend for a fourth consecutive season over the course of the week, as she's also the three-time champion in the 500 freestyle and the 1,650 freestyle.

Along with Mason's G-MAC/MEC title, Hillsdale also earned runner-up honors in both contested relays on the evening. Hillsdale's team of seniors Lucia Ruchti and Joanna Burnham and freshmen Ella Malone and Ella Schafer took second in the 200 medley relay in 1:46.40, and Schafer, Malone and Ruchti also teamed with senior Megan Clifford to take second in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:36.44.

Swimming along with Mason, sophomore Isabel Ondracek took ninth (10:50.61) and sophomore Irene del Castro took 10th (10:59.73) in the 1,000 freestyle individually. Hillsdale also placed three in the top 10 in the 200 individual medley, led by Burnham, who placed fifth in 2:09.33. Schafer finished right behind Burnham in sixth in 2:09.51, and sophomore Inez McNichols finished ninth in 2:11.26

In the final individual event of the night, the 50 freestyle, Ruchti was the top finisher for the Chargers in 24.95.

One additional notable race for the Chargers took place in a morning time trial, as Megan Clifford swam a NCAA DII B-cut time in the 100 butterfly of 55.76, breaking her own school record in the event. That time will allow Clifford to add the 100 fly to her event program at the NCAA DII Championships in March in Indianapolis, where Clifford already is slated to go for a third straight All-American honor in the 200 butterfly.

After one day of competition, Hillsdale currently sits in second in the team race with 323 points, behind current leader and defending champion Findlay in first place and just ahead of third-place Ashland. 

Hillsdale will be back in the pool on Thursday looking to build its edge over Ashland and add more medalists. Five events will be contested on day two -- the 100 butterfly, the 400 individual medley, the 200 freestyle, and the 400 medley relay, along with the 3 meter diving competition.

Photo by Meredith Wipper