EIU Swim Picked sixth In Summit League Preseason Poll

Eastern Illinois was picked to complete sixth within the males’s and girls’s Summit League preseason ballot, the league introduced on Thursday. 

On the lads’s facet, South Dakota earned the highest spot within the preseason ballot with 25 factors, together with 5 first-place votes. Omaha obtained the remaining first-place vote and was chosen second with 21 factors. South Dakota State adopted in third with 17 factors, whereas Southern Indiana completed fourth with 10 factors. Eastern Illinois rounded out the ballot in sixth place with 5 factors.  

On the ladies’s facet, South Dakota and Omaha mirrored the lads’s ballot on the high, with South Dakota incomes first place with 25 factors, together with 5 of the six first-place votes. Omaha obtained the remaining first-place vote and completed second with 21 factors. St. Thomas was chosen third with 15 factors, whereas South Dakota State and Southern Indiana tied for fourth with 12 factors every. Eastern Illinois rounded out the preseason ballot in sixth place with 5 factors. 

Last yr, EIU completed seventh in each the lads’s and girls’s on the Summit League Championship.  

Eastern Illinois Swimmer’s to Watch 

Eddie Myers was named a swimmer to look at for the upcoming 2026-2027 season. The junior competes in freestyle and butterfly. Myers competed in eight meets final season, swimming a private report within the 200 Free (1:41.28) and 500 Free (4:37.00) on the Summit League championship, which ranks 4th quickest at EIU. He swam the seventh quickest 1000 free time in class historical past at 9:52.06.  

Sydney VanderVelde was named to the ladies’s swimmers to look at for the upcoming season. VanderVelde competes in breaststroke and freestyle. The senior competed in 9 meets final season, setting three EIU high ten marks within the 200 IM, 100 IM, and 200 Free. She swam the 200 IM on the Summit League championship with a time of two:07.81, which ranked second on the EIU high ten lists. VanderVelde additionally swam the 200 free on the championship, ending with a time of 1:54.50, rating fourth quickest in EIU historical past.  

2026-27 Summit League Men’s Swimming and Diving Preseason Coaches’ Poll 

1. South Dakota (5) 25 

2. Omaha (1) 21 

3. South Dakota St 17 

4. St. Thomas 12 

5. Southern Indiana 10 

6. Eastern Illinois 5 

2026-27 Summit League Women’s Swimming and Diving Preseason Coaches’ Poll 

1. South Dakota (5) 25 

2. Omaha (1) 21 

3. St. Thomas 15 

T4. South Dakota St 12 

T4. Southern Indiana 12 

6. Eastern Illinois 5