Bears Swimming and Diving Declare Victory Towards UIC

CHICAGO, Ill. – Missouri State males’s and girls’s swimming & diving groups each claimed victory towards UIC, with the boys dominating 223-110, whereas the ladies gained in a nail biting 178-175 on Friday and Saturday on the Flames Natatorium.

Standout Performances

On the boys’s facet, freshman Zack Mendez set not solely a private finest however a brand new Missouri Valley Conference-leading time within the 1650-yard freestyle (15:18.98).

On the diving board, within the one-meter competitors senior Storm Opdahl gained comfortably with a rating of 264.98.

Senior Gonzalo Ruiz, freshman Kiefer Roemer, sophomore Jack Ailshire, and senior Lucas Chadwell secured the win within the 400-yard medley relay (3:13.81).

Sophomore Mate Miszlai additionally gained the 400-yard particular person medley (3:54.86).

In the 100-yard freestyle, Chadwell took high spot (44.59), scraping previous teammate Matvei Chesakov who completed second (44.91).

Ruiz additionally secured first place within the 200-yard backstroke (1:46.20) simply forward of Miszlai who was the runner-up (1:46.42).

Miszlai earned one other gold nevertheless within the 200-yard butterfly, (1:49.94), simply three milliseconds in entrance of freshman Kayden Hedrick who earned silver (1:49.97).

On the ladies’s facet, freshman Aleca Howard had a standout meet profitable three occasions. In the essential 200-yard breaststroke she led a Bears’ podium end, taking the gold with a time of two:19.39. Senior Olivia Sala earned the silver (2:21.59), whereas freshman Paige Corbin earned the bronze (2:21.67).

Howard additionally took out the 200-yard particular person medley (2:04.94) and the 400-yard particular person medley (4:26.14) highlighting her good kind.

Senior Mackenzie Kurre gained the 50-yard freestyle (23.37) and the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 49.93, while anchoring two relay wins as properly.

Sala, senior Lana Janson, sophomore Lillie Freulon, and Kurre claimed victory within the 200-yard medley relay (1:42.45).

In the 400-yard relay, Janson, junior Ane Meier, senior Ainsley Jenkins and Kurre gained the gold with a time of three:22.78.  

Senior Evie Kolb gained the 1650-yard freestyle with a private finest time of 16:57.78.

On the diving board, within the one-meter competitors freshman Delaney Nickles got here second with a rating of 244.88 simply behind Flames’ Kerry-Leigh Morrison (246.60).

Both groups will conclude the 2025-26 season in Evansville, Ind., after they compete within the three-day Missouri Valley Conference Championships, beginning Wednesday, Feb. 25 on the Deaconess Aquatic Center.

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