Bears Make Waves: Opening 2025 with Thrilling Tri-Meet Dive in Missouri!

SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State’s swimming & diving program will commence the 2025 segment of its campaign with two days of contests against the hosting Mizzou and McKendree on Friday, Jan. 17, and Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Mizzou Aquatic Center in Columbia. The meet on Friday will feature exhibition events and will not be scored, while Saturday’s meet will be an official tri-dual with each team competing for a unique score against their two rivals. Both days of events will be available for streaming on ESPN+. Live scoring details can also be accessed on Meet Mobile.

Bears Highlights (Women)

• Missouri State women’s swimming & diving recently secured a second-place spot among 13 teams at the 2024 House of Champions Invitational held by IU Indianapolis last November. The Bears accumulated a total of 1,256.5 points throughout the three-day invitational, finishing just behind Marshall’s score of 1,417.5.

• Fifth-year Samantha Roemer clinched victories in three individual events over the course of the House of Champions Invitational. Roemer took gold in the 200-yard individual medley (2:00.64), the 100-yard butterfly (53.30), and the 100-yard individual medley (55.96). Additionally, she played a key role in the Bears capturing first place in the 400-yard medley relay (3:40.51). Roemer was honored as the Missouri Valley Conference Swimmer of the Week on Nov. 27, 2024, due to her remarkable performance.

• Another fifth-year swimmer, Cabrini Johnson, attained individual gold in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:12.89) and secured silver in two events: the 50-yard breaststroke (28.68) and the 100-yard breaststroke (1:01.87).

• Junior Sophia Coleta excelled in the distance events in Indianapolis, achieving a personal best of 16:47.37 to win the 1,650-yard freestyle. She also placed third in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:52.79.

Bears Highlights (Men)

• Missouri State men’s swimming & diving also finished in second place out of 11 teams at the House of Champions Invitational, achieving a final score of 1,315.5, falling short only to host IU Indianapolis at 1,341.5.

• Freshman Gonzalo Ruiz earned a total of three gold medals at the House of Champions Invitational, with individual victories in the 200-yard backstroke (1:45.15) and the 100-yard individual medley (50.29). He also spearheaded the Bears’ record-setting performance in the 400-yard medley relay (3:12.40). Following the meet, he was recognized as MVC Freshman of the Week for the third time this season.

• Junior Luigi Maciel da Silva clinched gold in two breaststroke events at the House of Champions Invitational, securing first place in the 50-yard breaststroke (24.16) and the 100-yard breaststroke (53.94). He also achieved a second-place finish in the 200-yard breaststroke (1:59.26), recording the second-fastest time in conference this season.

Series History vs. Missouri and McKendree

• Missouri State men’s swimming & diving holds an all-time record of 8-24 against the Missouri Tigers. Mizzou defeated Missouri State, 153-90, in their last encounter on Dec. 2, 2023, held at Hammons Student Center Pool.

• This will mark the initial dual competition between the men’s teams of Missouri State and McKendree.

• Missouri State women’s swimming & diving has yet to secure a victory against Missouri, currently holding an 0-22 record. The last defeat of the Bears was a score of 147-96 on Dec. 2, 2023, at Hammons Student Center Pool.

• This will also be the first dual matchup between the women’s teams of Missouri State and McKendree.

Assessing the Tigers and Bearcats

• Mizzou men’s swimming & diving kicked off the 2024-25 season with a close loss to Purdue, 151-149, on Oct. 25. Following that, the Tigers faced a defeat from Texas A&M on Nov. 1 and concluded fifth at the Georgia Invitational. Most recently, Missouri faced a loss against Louisville, 193-107, on Jan. 3.

• Mizzou women’s swimming & diving experienced similar setbacks against Purdue, Texas A&M, and Louisville while finishing fifth in the women’s division of the Georgia Invitational.

• McKendree men’s swimming & diving remains unbeaten in dual meets this season, having victories over MVC’s Southern Illinois and Evansville, as well as Missouri S&T, Indianapolis, and Washington (St. Louis). The Bearcats concluded third at the Purdue Invitational in November.

• McKendree women’s swimming & diving started the season with losses to Southern Illinois and Indianapolis but has since achieved wins against Evansville and Washington (St. Louis). The women’s team finished sixth at the Purdue Invitational.

Head Coach Dave Collins

• Missouri State swimming & diving head coach Dave Collins is entering his 14th season, aiming for his 13th women’s conference championship and fourth men’s league title. He has been recognized as MVC Swimming Coach of the Year eight times, including every year for the past five years, and has also received the MAC Swimming Coach of the Year award five times.

Event Schedule

Friday, Jan. 17 | 5:00 p.m. CT
200-yard freestyle relay
50-yard butterfly (skins)*
150-yard butterfly
300-yard individual medley
50-yard backstroke (skins)*
150-yard backstroke
800-yard freestyle (knockout)*
50-yard breaststroke (skins)*
150-yard breaststroke
100-yard individual medley
50-yard freestyle (skins)*
150-yard freestyle
Diving event
400-yard medley relay

*Skins events will consist of three heats. Each team will field two swimmers per event. The last two swimmers in each heat will be removed from the next heat until the third race, where the two fastest swimmers will compete against one another.

*In the 800-yard freestyle knockout event, the last-place swimmer will be removed every 150 yards until only two swimmers remain for the final 200 yards.

Saturday, Jan. 18 | 10:00 a.m. CT

200-yard medley relay

1,650-yard freestyle

200-yard freestyle

100-yard backstroke

100-yard breaststroke

200-yard butterfly

50-yard freestyle

100-yard freestyle

200-yard backstroke

200-yard breaststroke

500-yard freestyle

100-yard butterfly

200-yard individual medley

400-yard freestyle relay

1-meter diving

3-meter diving

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