January 18, 2025

NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Macalester College men's swimming & diving team defeated St. Olaf College in a dual meet on Saturday by a score of 150-128. This marks the Scots' fourth win out of five dual meets this season in their first contest of the new year and semester.


Four straight individual event wins early in the meet started the day off strong. Senior Charles Batsaikhan (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia/East Chapel Hill) began that run with a victory in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:50.12. That was followed by first-place finishes in the 100-yard backstroke by Kean James Pajarillaga (Saipan, Marianas Pacific/Grace Christian Academy), 100-yard breaststroke by Will St. John (McGaheysville, Va./ East Rockingham), and 200-yard butterfly by Bode Thompson (Blacksburg, Va./Blacksburg).


In the 50-yard freestyle, the Scots'  Isaac Kisker (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood) and Max Taufen (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) took second and third place with times of 22.29 and 22.76. Taufen gave another strong performance in the 100-yard freestyle, finishing second at 49.18. The 200-yard breaststroke proved a pivotal event for Macalester, as the duo of St. John (2:16.86) and Batsaikhan (2:16.86) put up an unlikely tie for first place. Two more event wins were achieved in the 500-yard freestyle by Pajarillaga (4.56:90) and in the 400-yard IM by Ramier Villarama (Bayonne, N.J./ High Tech) at 4:43.27.

The Scots host Grinnell College at home on Jan. 25, beginning at 11:00am, for their team's Senior Day.

Click here for complete results.