CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Illinois State swimming and diving team opened the 2021 Missouri Valley Conference Championships on Wednesday and currently sit in third place overall with a score of 139, behind Missouri State (306) and Southern Illinois (177).
CROWNING A CHAMPION
Caroline Lecoeur collected her first career gold medal at the Valley championships, grabbing a win in the 1-meter finals with a score of 261.25.
TOP PERFORMANCES
Kamryn Blake turned in a score of 221.85 in the 1-meter diving event, earning an all-conference honorable mention selection with a seventh-place finish.
Diana Walker (5:02.53), Morgan Rosser (5:04.25) and Makenna Licking (5:05.43) all turned in season-best performances in the 500-yard freestyle finals, while Maddie Hernandez recorded a season-best time in the 50-yard freestyle, finishing in a time of 24.25. A pair of Redbirds – Julie Kolar (2:05.67) and Madyson Morse (2:05.81) – earned all-conference honorable mention nods in the 200-yard IM, finishing sixth and seventh, respectively.
REDBIRD RELAYS
The Illinois State quartet of Olivia Gonder, Julie Kolar, Madyson Morse and Tina Meyer shaved 1.77 seconds off the Redbirds' season-best time in the 200-yard freestyle relay to finish fifth overall with a time of 1:34.80.
Kenzie Weber, Madyson Morse, Cassidy Carey and Haley Rivera helped the Redbirds grab a seventh-place finish in the 400-yard medley relay, clocking in a season-best time of 3:49.70 in the event.
UP NEXT
Illinois State will continue the 2021 MVC Championships tomorrow at 10 a.m., beginning with the 400-yard IM preliminary heats.
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