Indiana State Women, Missouri State Men Capture Missouri Valley Titles
The Missouri Valley Conference Swimming and Diving Championships concluded Saturday night, with the Indiana State women repeating as champions and Missouri State taking victory for the men.
Wednesday
Southern Illinois took an early lead for the women and Miami took a lead for the men. Missouri State swimmer Zach Mendez delivered an outstanding swim, breaking the conference and championship record in the men’s 500 freestyle with a 4:19.72. The time is the first sub-4:20 finish in MVC history. His teammate Illias El Fallaki and Miami freshman Elijah Rolfsen followed behind him in a stacked final.
Miami also broke a championship record in the 200 free relay at 1:18.43, with swimmers Owen Hoban, Ian Rodrigues Kmiliauski, Duncan Salmen, and Tegan Barrier. For the women, Southern Illinois’s Susana Hernandez, Zaria Terry, Ava Rines, and Masha Zhukova earned a win in the 200 free relay with a 1:30.32.
Indiana State freshman Grace Cummings won the women’s 500 free with a 4:45.98, while Southern Illinois’ Olivia Herron and Benedek Andor took the 200 IM titles at 1:58.31 and 1:44.63, respectively. The SIU women earned a victory in the 400 medley relay at 3:37.11 with swimmers Liseka Gallegos Gutierrez, Herron, Brooklyn Anderson, and Hernandez. Miami took the 400 men’s medley in 3:08.58 with swimmers Jensen Nelson, Brady Miller, Salmen and Barrier.
Thursday
Day Two brought a close team race. On the women’s side, Indiana State University was followed close behind by Southern Illinois University and Missouri State University. The Missouri State men moved into first, just ahead of Miami.
The highlight swim came from Ball State freshman George Patterson, who shattered the MVC record in the men’s 200 free in 1:34.79, with SIU’s Willem Huggins also under the old mark in 1:34.91. Missouri State’s Lillie Freulon won the women’s 100 fly in 53.25, while SIU’s Carter Ruthven took the men’s race in 46.48.
SIU’s Anderson and Miami’s Hoban claimed the 400 IM titles in 4:15.65 and 3:48.65, respectively. Indiana State won the women’s 200 medley relay in 1:39.68 behind Sahara Visscher, Ali Pearson, Raine Boles and Kaleigh Kelley. Missouri State finished in first in the men’s relay at 1:25.61 with Gonzolo Ruiz Vazquez, Kiefer Roemer, Jack Ailshire and Lucas Chadwell.
Friday
Day Three set up a tight finish heading into Saturday. Southern Illinois University moved into the lead on the women’s side, just ahead of Indiana State University. On the men’s side, Missouri State remained in front, with Miami University close behind.
Herron delivered a crucial swim for SIU, finishing in 1:59.75 to win the women’s 200 fly and edge Indiana State’s Haley Halsall by under a tenth. Miami’s Allen Cotton finished in 1:44.23 to take the men’s 200 fly after Missouri State’s Anderson Brown broke the MVC record in prelims.
Indiana State’s Pearson finished in 1:01.52 to win the women’s 100 breast, while Missouri State freshman Kiefer Roemer broke the MVC record and earned an NCAA automatic qualifying time, finishing in 52.56 in the men’s race. SIU’s Gutierrez finished in 53.34 to win the 100 back, and Miami’s Nelson finished in 46.71 to claim the men’s title.
Missouri State closed the night with a women’s 800 free relay victory, as Lana Janson, Ainsley Jenkins, Sophia Dela Coleta and Makenzie Kurre combined to finish in 7:14.68. Southern Illinois answered in the men’s 800 free relay, where Rodrigo Ramos Chavez, Juraj Barcot, Alex Cimera and Willem Huggins teamed up to finish in 6:25.92.
Saturday
Indiana State all but secured the women’s championship early on the final day, sweeping the top three spots in the 1650 freestyle behind Cummings’ winning time of 16:17.25. Miami’s Rolfsen won the men’s mile in a 15:04.27.
Southern Illinois added another title from Gallegos Gutierrez in the women’s 200 back (1:56.46), while Nelson capped a dominant meet in the men’s backstroke events with an MVC record at 1:42.88. SIU’s Herron won the 200 breastroke and punched her ticket to NCAAs with a 2:11.01.
Southern Illinois’ Andor, Carter Ruthven, Cimera and Huggins narrowly beat Ball State in the men’s 400 freestyle relay to end the championships, while Missouri State’s Janson, Jenkins, Ane Meier and Kurre won the women’s race in 3:18.97.
Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Team Standings
- Indiana State – 1,236
- Southern Illinois – 1,161
- Missouri State – 1,117
- UIC – 1,054.5
- Northern Iowa – 920
- Little Rock – 869.5
- Illinois State – 697
- Evansville – 313
- Valparaiso – 253
Missouri Valley Conference Mens Team Standings
- Missouri State – 1,446.5
- Miami (Ohio) – 1,394.5
- Southern Illinois – 1,189.5
- UMass – 925.5
- Ball State – 878.5
- UIC – 831.5
- Evansville – 397
- Valparaiso – 383