NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State swimming and diving team was picked to finish second behind Missouri State in the Missouri Valley Conference pre-championship poll, voted on by league coaches, the league announced Monday.
The Redbirds will compete at the MVC Championship, Feb. 18-21, at Southern Illinois' Dr. Edward J. Shea Natatorium.
Host Southern Illinois was picked to finish third in the pre-championship poll, ahead of Evansville, Northern Iowa and Arkansas-Little Rock.
Longtime coach Steve Paska is looking forward to his final trip to the MVC Championship as Illinois State's head coach. A former member of Redbird men's swimming and diving team, Paska has competed in or coached at a meet at Southern Illinois every year since 1979. Paska announced his plans to retire following the academic year in December.
"The 2014-15 season has been a fantastic one for this swimming and diving program," Paska said. "The success the girls have had in the water, on the diving boards and in the classroom – such as our second-place finish at the Zippy Invitational, personal-best times, season-best times and a 3.51 team grade-point average – only proves how special this season has been.
"The last two months have been flattering. The outcry of support is something I will cherish for a very long time. Illinois State is a special place and I am very excited to witness this group of young ladies perform this weekend down in Carbondale."
Head diving coach Phil Hoffmann is also excited to see his student-athletes compete at the conference meet.
"Our team is looking very healthy and ready to go," Hoffmann said. "I think that competition this year in the Valley is very strong. From top to bottom, the MVC is getting stronger and stronger by the year. I look forward to seeing how the divers compete and help team as a whole."
The four-day event will begin Wednesday at 6 p.m. with the 200-yard medley relay and 800-yard freestyle relay finals.
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