CARBONDALE, Ill. – Head coach Steve Paska and his Illinois State swimming and diving team finished the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference Championship with a third-place finish, behind host Southern Illinois and winner Missouri State.
Marissa Yontz and Rachel Holm set more records on the final day of the MVC Championship. Yontz won and set a personal-best time in the 100-yard freestyle, breaking the school record with a time of 49.93 seconds to satisfy the NCAA B-cut qualifying standard. In the 200-yard breaststroke, Holm finished in second place, breaking a school record with a time of 2:19.09, also a new personal best.
"It was an incredible meet for both Rachel and Marissa," Paska said. "I believe Marissa achieved all of her goals. It was special and I was blessed to be a part of it.
"And what a freshman year for Rachel Holm to come in and improve significantly. A very bright future lies ahead for Rachel as a Redbird student-athlete."
Senior diver Wenting Zhang also set another record in the 3-meter diving event. She finished with a score of 418.20.
"This was definitely a special performance by Wendy," ISU head diving coach Phil Hoffmann said. "What a fantastic way to end her Valley career at Illinois State. She had a great 3-meter event. I am very excited for the coming weeks."
In the 1650-yard freestyle, Yvette Kruk, Keely Hunt and Maddie Farrell had solid performances. Kruk swam a personal-best time (17:23.16). Hunt swam the event in a time of 17:36.49, a new season best. Farrell finished in 17:30.01, a new personal-best time.
In the 200-yard backstroke, Samantha Schuckles swam a new season-best (2:06.53).
Three Redbirds turned in strong performances in the 200-yard breaststroke. Courtney Taylor finished in fourth place (2:19.94), with a new season-best time. Also earning a new season best was Cecilia Holmes (2:20.16), finishing in fifth. Allison Soper finished in sixth place, clocking a new personal-best time (2:20.78).
In the 200-yard butterfly, Kristin Verkler finished in ninth place (2:05.39), a new season best. Katie Breger and Alyssa Swanson also had stellar performances in the event. Both Breger (2:10.39) and Swanson (2:12.84) turned in personal bests.
In the preliminaries, Katelyn Kresal swam a season best in the 200-yard backstroke (2:03.60). Also in the 100-yard freestyle preliminaries, Katherine Nelson (52.06) and Laura Paskoff (52.61) swam season bests.
"I am very proud to be the head coach of these fine student-athletes," Paska said. "Parting ways with this 11-member senior class is hard. They are all very special to me. It was an emotional evening watching these ladies give it their all during their last events. Tribute to the senior class, they definitely have made a lasting mark on this program. They will be very hard to replace."
The Missouri Valley Conference took a moment today to pay tribute to Paska, a 30-year head coach for the Redbirds, who will retire in July.
"To end my coaching career at this Valley championship is humbling," he said. "I have been blessed to have known and coached with these coaches for decades. It was special to be honored by the Valley during the meet and I will remember this day for a very long time."
Event Breakdown
1650-yard freestyle: Kelsie Walker of Southern Illinois won the event (16:33.88) … Kruk was eighth … Hunt was ninth (17:36.49) … Valerie Jones was 11th (17:54.10) … Jillena Everest finished in 13th (18:04.13).
200-yard backstroke: Sydney Zupan of Missouri State won the event (1:59.33) … Katelyn Kresal finished in fifth place (2:04.98) … Rachel Root finished ninth (2:01.52) … Karley Licking was 16th (2:09.71).
100-yard freestyle: Yontz won the event … Nelson was ninth (52.27) … Paskoff finished in 14th (52.91).
200-yard breaststroke: Lauren Pavel of Missouri State won the event (2:16.46) … Holm was second … Taylor was fourth … Holmes was fifth … Soper was sixth … Everest was 15th (2:26.45) … Jones was 16th (2:27.95).
200-yard butterfly: Dora Kiss of Missouri State won the event (1:59.13) … Verkler was ninth (2:05.39) … Alexis Nash was 12th (2:10.12) … Breger finished in 13th (2:10.39) … Swanson finished in 15th (2:12.84).
400-yard freestyle relay: Southern Illinois won the event (3:23.81) … ISU's relay comprised of Yontz, Kruk, Paskoff and Nelson finished in fifth (3:26.56).
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
