Ben Pickrel of the Kalamazoo College men's swimming & diving team was named the SAAC Men's Hornet of the Week on Wednesday (Oct. 12).

The men's swimming & diving team began the 2022-23 season by traveling to Saginaw Valley to compete in a tri-meet, including Alma. The Hornets secured a win by defeating the Scots 214-77 before falling to the Cardinals 231-69.

After leading the charge for Kalamazoo last year in his first collegiate season, Pickrel picked up where he left off as the Hornets' best swimmer. At the tri-meet, he had two second-place finishes and one third-place finish as an individual while also placing third in a relay. 

In the 200 Fly, Pickrel had a time of 1:59.81, which was good for second and is just four seconds off his best time from last season at the MIAA Championships. His other second-place finish was in the 200 IM with a time of 2:03.69, a career-best by nearly two seconds. Coming in third in the 200 Back at 2:01.63, Pickrel is eight seconds off his personal best, again from the 2021-22 MIAA Championships. In the 200 Medley Relay with Erik Danielson, Oliver Tye, and Tim Karubas, Pickrel and the team finished in third with a time of 1:39.69.

The Hornets compete again on Friday (Oct. 14) in a dual at Albion, beginning at 5 p.m.

2022-23 Men's Hornets of the Week
Ben Pickrel, Swimming
Tyler Omness, Golf
Josh Nichols, Football
Lance Taylor, Football
Bubba Wilson, Football
Ian Burr, Football