ST. PAUL, Minn. – Macalester College first year
Kean James Pajarillaga (Saipan, Marianas Pacific/Grace Christian Academy) was chosen the MIAC Co-Rookie of the Year, as the MIAC announced its year-end awards today. Pajarillaga and seven other Scots earned All-MIAC recognition at the MIAC Swimming & Diving championships, held this past weekend. The top three finishers in each event were named All-MIAC, with the next three finishers in the individual events and the fourth-place finisher in the relays receiving All-MIAC honorable mention.
Pajarillaga won the 200-yard backstroke on Saturday with a time of 1:53.77. He also received All-MIAC honorable mention by placing fifth in both the 500-yard freestyle (4:46.20) and the 100-yard backstroke (52.80). In the relays, Pajarillaga swam on three All-MIAC relays teams. This is the third year the conference has recognized a Rookie of the Year, with Pajarillaga sharing the award this year with Gustavus' Jacob Robischon.
Senior
Charles Batsaikhan (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia/East Chapel Hill) earned All-MIAC honors with a third-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke in 56.56. Sophomore
Thomas Moore (Philadelphia, Pa./Science Leadership Academy) turned in an All-MIAC performance in the 200-yard individual medley with a third-place finish in 1:55.28. His time of 1:55.25 in the prelims is a new school record.
Four of Macalester's five relay teams finished third to earn All-MIAC accolades. The 200-yard medley relay team of Pajarillaga, Batsaikhan, senior
Isaac Kisker (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood) and first year
Max Taufen (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) broke the school record with a time of 1:33.20. The foursome of Pajarillaga, Batsaikhan, Moore and Taufen also broke school records in both the 400-yard medley relay (3:25.05) and the 800-yard freestyle relay (6:55.41). Also taking third was the Scots' 400-yard freestyle relay team of Moore, Taufen, junior
Casey Meretta (Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill) and Kisker with a time of 3:08.26.
Scots receiving honorable mention along with Pajarillaga include junior
Will St. John (McGaheysville, Va./East Rockingham) in the 200-yard breaststroke, Moore in the 100-yard butterfly (sixth), and first year
Bode Thompson (Blacksburg, Va./Blacksburg) in the 200-yard butterfly. The Scots' 200-yard freestyle relay team of Kisker, Batsaikhan, Meretta and Moore placed fourth in 1:24.87.
Macalester broke four school records and scored 462.5 points as a team to finished fourth out of six teams at the MIAC Championships.
Click here to view the MIAC release.
