NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State Swim and Dive heads to Iowa City, Iowa this week and the campus of the University of Iowa for the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference Swim and Dive Championships Feb. 15-18.
MEET SCHEDULE
|
February 15 |
February 16 |
February 17 |
February 18 |
| Prelims (10:30 a.m. CT) |
|
- 500 Free
- 200 IM
- 50 Free
- 1M Diving
- 1M Diving (9-16)
|
- 100 Fly
- 400 IM
- 200 Free
- 100 Breast
- 100 Back
- 3M Diving
|
- 200 Back
- 100 Free
- 200 Breast
- 200 Fly
- 1650 Free
|
| Finals (6:00 p.m. CT) |
- 200 Medley Relay
- Team Diving
- 800 Free Relay
|
- 500 Free
- 200 IM
- 50 Free
- 1M Diving (1-8)
- 200 Free
|
- 100 Fly
- 400 IM
- 200 Free
- 100 Breast
- 100 Back
- 3M Diving (9-16)
- 400 Medley Relay
|
- 1650 Free
- 200 Back
- 100 Free
- 200 Breast
- 200 Fly
- 3M Diving (1-8)
- 400 Free Relay
|
REGULAR SEASON ROUNDUP
The Redbirds completed a strong regular season slate with opponents from around the Midwest, picking up dual wins over McKendree, Evansville and Eastern Illinois.
Illinois State has turned in three school records so far this season, which all came down Nov. 16-18 at the Purdue Invitational. Senior Madyson Morse broke the 50-yard breaststroke and 100-yard breaststroke school records in a two-day span at Purdue. She recorded a mark of 28.96 in the 50-yard breaststroke before bringing the 100-yard breaststroke school record down twice in the same day. She recorded a time of 1:01.90 in the prelims Wednesday morning to break Jensen Keck's 2017 mark of 1:02.32. Later in the day she bested the school record yet again as she improved to a 1:01.70.
The team of Morse, freshman Ella Turken, sophomore Mia Snow and junior Olivia Gonder posted a school record for Illinois State in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Their mark of 1:33.71 brought down the 1:33.77 that was set last season by Morse, Gonder, Emma Feltzer and Diana Walker.
The Redbirds have also earned five MVC Weekly honors this season. Freshman Giulia Basco earned Valley Freshman of the Week and sophomore Eva Reyes earned Valley Diver of the Week Oct. 12. Morse was named MVC Swimmer of the Week after the Purdue Invitational Nov. 23. Reyes earned Valley Diver of the Week honors for a second time this year while sophomore Emma Feltzer was also named Valley Swimmer of the Week Nov. 18.
TOP OF THE VALLEY
After the completion of the regular season, several Redbirds rank among the leaders in the Valley both on the boards and in the pool.
Morse ranks top-10 in the Valley in seven events, including third in the 50-yard breaststroke (28.96), second in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:01.70) and third in the 100-yard butterfly (55.13). She is also seventh in the 50-yard freestyle, eighth in the 200-yard breaststroke, seventh in the 50 fly and ninth in the 200 IM.
Feltzer is tied for first in the Valley in the 100 Free (50.73) and ranks second in the 200 Free (1:50.69) which she set in the same weekend Jan. 13-14 at UNI.
Junior Cassidy Carey ranks sixth in the 200-yard backstroke (2:00.72) while Gonder sits seventh in the 200 IM (2:03.66).
Reyes' 1M mark of 288.90 ranks third while her 3M season best of 294.53 sits fourth in the conference.
PRE-CHAMPIONSHIP COACHES POLL
The Redbirds were tabbed to finish fourth at this week's Valley Championships in the conference's annual Pre-Championship Coaches Poll Feb. 9. Missouri State was picked to win a seventh consecutive title, securing five of ten possible first-place votes.
MVC Pre-Championship Coaches Poll
1. Missouri State (5)
2. Indiana State (4)
3. Southern Illinois (1)
4. Illinois State
5. Marshall
6. UNI
7. UIC
8. Little Rock
9. Evansville
10. Valparaiso
2022 VALLEY CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Redbirds will look to continue to build off a strong 2022 showing at the MVC Championships.
Last season saw the Redbirds post their highest finish at the MVC Championships since 2014. The Redbirds earned six All-MVC First Team Honors and seven All-MVC Honorable Mention selections at the 2022 Valley Championships.
Highlighting the meet were a pair of wins by the Redbirds. Reyes won the 1M Diving title and earned MVC Freshman Diver of the Year honors. She grabbed first in 1M with an overall score of 300.45 while her mark of 267.80 was good for third in 3M. Meanwhile, Morse took home the 200 IM title for Illinois State with her personal best mark of 2:00.92.
The titles from Reyes and Morse marked the first time under head coach Caitlin Hamilton that the Redbirds have won a diving and a swimming event at a single MVC Championship meet.
BIRDS AT THE MVC CHAMPIONSHIP
Redbird Swim and Dive has earned five MVC titles in its history (1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1996) and has finished as Valley Runner-up 17 times, including last season.
Perhaps where Illinois State has performed the strongest at the Valley Championships is on the 1M boards. A Redbird has won nine of 22 MVC 1M Diving titles since 2001, more than any other Valley program over that stretch. Overall, the Redbirds have won 17 Diving titles, which ranks second in conference history (Southern Illinois, 29).
A Redbird has won MVC Diver of the Year 11 times, which also ranks second in conference history (Southern Illinois, 13).
In the pool, former Redbird and MVC Swimmer of the Year Kierston Farley-Sepe's 200-yard IM (1:59.71) and 400-yard (4:16.36) IM marks from 2020 still stand as Valley Championship records.
The Redbirds have won two of the last three Valley 200 IM titles with Farley-Sepe's win in 2020 and Morse's title last season.
REYES CHASING HISTORY
Eva Reyes can cement herself into the Illinois State and MVC history books with a 1M title this week in Iowa City.
After her 1M win as a freshman in 2022, Reyes can become the first diver in conference history to win consecutive 1M titles as a freshman and sophomore.
A second-straight 1M championship for Reyes would would also secure a third straight MVC 1M Diving title for Illinois State. Former Redbird Caroline Leceour swept 1M and 3M at the 2021 Valley Championships en route to Valley Diver of the Year honors. It would mark the second time that Illinois State has won three straight MVC 1M titles and the first time the Redbirds have done so with multiple divers claiming a title. (2003-2005).
Reyes can also become the third Redbird to win back to back 1M Diving titles. Former Redbird All-American Wenting Zhang won back to back 1M crowns for Illinois State in 2012 and 2013, while Krystal Featherston won three consecutive from 2003-2005.
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