Redbirds Open 2023-2024 at Home vs Eastern Illinois

NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State Swimming and Diving is set to kick off its 2023-2024 campaign Friday at Horton Pool as the Redbirds host Eastern Illinois. Diving Events will begin at 2 p.m. with swim events to follow. Fans can follow along on the MeetMobile app. 

MEET SCHEDULE

2 PM // 3M Dive

3:20 PM // 1M Dive 

4 PM // Swim Events Begin

**All times are approximate

ABOUT LAST YEAR 

The Redbirds are coming off a second-straight top-three finish at the Missouri Valley Championships in what was a strong 2022-2023 campaign for Illinois State.  

2022-2023 HIGHLIGHTS: 

• Illinois State set 11 school records, including ones in all five relays.

• At the MVC Championships Illinois State brought in five individual titles, the most for the program at a single MVC championships since 2019.  

• Madyson Morse earned Valley Swimmer of the Year and Eva Reyes took home Valley Diver of the Year honors as Illinois State became the first team since 2010 to sweep both awards. It was the first time since 2004 and the third time overall that a Redbird has earned Valley Swimmer and Valley Diver of the Year in the same season.  

• Morse earned titles in the 200y IM, 100y Breast and 200y Breast en route to her selection as MVC Swimmer of the Year. She is the first Redbird since Kiersten Farley-Sepe in 2020 to earn Valley Swimmer of the Year.  

• Also in the pool, Emma Feltzer won her first MVC gold with a title in the 200y Free. Redbird Relays set four school records and earned four silver medals at the MVC Championships.  

• On the boards, Eva Reyes took home a second consecutive title in the 1M dive and earned Valley Diver of the Year for the first time. She was also a First Team All-MVC Selection with a bronze finish in the 3M dive.  

FAMILIAR FACE, NEW ROLE 

The Redbirds are under new guidance this season, but from a familiar face. Sean Sullivan steps into the Interim Head Coach role after working as an assistant coach for the Redbirds since 2021.  

In his role as assistant coach at Illinois State, Sullivan worked primarily with the sprint group. He helped guide the Redbirds to their best team finish since the 2013-14 season, when the team took home second place at the 2022 Missouri Valley Conference Championships.  

In his role as the sprint coach, Sullivan mentored Morse through her historic 2022-2023 campaign. 

PRESEASON COACHES POLL

The Missouri Valley Conference announced Thursday the Preseason Swimming and Diving Coaches Poll. Illinois State was picked third in the nine-team league. 

Missouri State earned eight of nine first-place votes to collect 80 points while second-place Indiana State took home the remaining first place vote and earned 72 points. Illinois State earned 60 points to edge out Southern Illinois' 57 points in fourth. UNI (45 points), UIC (37), Little Rock (22), Evansville (21) and Valparaiso (11) rounded out the coaches poll. 

GOING GLOBAL 

Morse and Sullivan represented the United States on the world's stage this offseason at the World University games in Chengdu, China.  

Morse was one of 18 swimmers on the United States women's roster, which includes athletes from UCLA, Georgia and USC. Sullivan worked on a United States staff led by USC men's and women's associate head coach Peter Richardson. 

NOT DONE YET 

Morse will look to add to her stellar resume as she returns for a fifth season of eligibility this season.  

She set conference records in the 100y and 200y Breast and brought her career MVC gold medal total to four with a standout performance last year. She also became the first Redbird to win gold at the CSCAA NIC Championships with her title in the 100y Breast. 

THE 1M QUEEN  

Reyes' 1M win at the 2023 Valley Championships cemented her spot in the Valley and Illinois State record books.  

She is the first diver in league history to win 1M crowns as a freshman and sophomore. It also marked the 12th time that a Redbird has won Valley Diver of the Year and the third time over the last five seasons. Reyes is the third Redbird in program history to earn consecutive 1M Dive titles, joining Krystal Featherston (2003, 2004, 2005) and former All-American Wenting Zhang (2012, 2013).  

REDBIRD RETURNERS 

Morse, Feltzer and Reyes highlight a strong group of returners for Illinois State this season.  

• Senior Cassidy Carey is the active school record holder in the 200y Back after an All-MVC Honorable Mention selection last season. She also ranks third in program history in the 100y Back (55.94) and 10th in the 200y Fly (2:04.74).  

• Chloe Tyler turned in a solid freshman campaign last season, earning top-ten ISU times in the 50 Back (26.05), 100y Back (55.79) and 200y Back (2:02.83).  

• Senior Olivia Gonder currently holds top-ten ISU times in the 100y Free (51.08) and 200y Free (1:50.94). She helped Illinois State to 400y Free and 800y Free relay records last year. 

NEW TO THE NEST 

Illinois State brought in a talented four-person freshman class for 2023.  

• Sylvia Admire (Claremore, Okla.) comes to Illinois State after earning state championships in the 100y Free and 200y Free (twice) in her high school career.  

• Lauren Campbell (Exeter, Ontario, Canada) qualified for the 2020 Canadian Olympic Trials in the 200m IM, 400m IM and 400m freestyle. She was also a qualifier in the 400m freestyle, 400m freestyle, 200m IM and 400m IM at the Canadian Junior and Senior National levels. 

• Michelle Fernandez (Miami, Fla.) medaled four straight years in the 100y Breaststroke at the FHSAA 2A State championships, which featured a string of three consecutive titles from 2019 to 2021. 

• Shelby Gourley (Bluffton, S.C.) was a three-year team captain for May River High School. She earned a bronze medal at the 2022 SCHSL 4A State championships with a mark of 1:07.53 in the 100y Breaststroke.  

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