Swimming

Big Green Legacy McLane Gmelich to Carry on the Family Tradition at Dartmouth

January 5, 2023

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McLane Gmelich from Rumson, New Jersey, announced her commitment to swim and study at Dartmouth College next fall. She will be part of a Big Green Swimming & Diving family legacy that includes her mother (Victoria Hall Gmelich ’91**) and two of her cousins (John Hall ’20 and Chris Hall ’25). Moreover, her sister (Caroline Gmelich, UVA ’20) and cousin (Andrew Hall, Bates ’22) have also swum in NCAA programs.

“I chose Dartmouth because the sense of community is very evident in everything they do. I am extremely excited about both the academic and athletic opportunities that are present in Hanover. The small size of the school is appealing yet their commitment to the swim and dive program is something I want to be a part of. I am also thrilled to continue the collegiate swimming streak in my family, following my mother (Victoria Hall Gmelich-Dartmouth ’91), my sister (Caroline Gmelich UVA-2020) and my cousins (John Hall-Dartmouth 2020 and Chris Hall-Dartmouth-2025, Andrew Hall- Bates 2022) I hope to really reach a higher level as I compete in the Ivy League. Go Big Green!”

Gmelich is a senior at Trinity Hall, an all-girls school in Leonardo, NJ, that her parents founded. She swims year-round with the club team Central Jersey Aquatic Club. At the New Jersey Independent Schools State Championships last February, she came in second in the 200 free and third in the 500. A week later she had an outstanding showing at the New Jersey Swimming State Championships, clocking PBs in the 50/200 free, 100 fly, and 200 IM.

Similarly, this summer, she updated her LCM times in the 50/100/200/400 free and 200 IM at the New Jersey Long Course Junior Olympics. There, she won the 200 free, 400 free, and 200 IM; was runner-up in the 200 fly; and came in 4th in the 100 free, 7th in the 100 fly, and 9th in the 50 free.

Best times:

100 fly – 58.01
200 fly – 2:08.71
200 IM – 2:10.67
500 free – 5:06.46
200 free – 1:54.35
100 free – 53.81

Also committed to the Dartmouth class of 2027 are Jamie Legh, Lucy Benoit, and Samantha Li.

**Note: Victoria Hall Gmelich received the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association (CSCAA)’s Charles McCaffree Award this year. The award, selected by the CSCAA’s Board of Directors, recognizes a swimming or diving graduate who has achieved outstanding success outside of the pool. Among her many philanthropic endeavors was the $100,000 Match Challenge that helped to reinstate Dartmouth’s swimming and diving teams after they had been cut. She is the first Dartmouth graduate to earn this honor.

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