Southern Illinois University’s swim and dive teams competed at home on Saturday, facing Evansville and Indiana State’s women’s team. The event also served as Senior Day, with the Salukis recognizing 12 senior athletes before competition began.
The Saluki men’s and women’s teams both secured victories over Evansville. However, the women’s team was defeated by Indiana State.
The meet opened with a strong performance from Southern Illinois in the women’s 200-medley relay, where they took first and second place. In the men’s 200-medley relay, SIU’s “B” and “C” squads bookended their event. Joshua Aceves delivered the first individual win for SIU in the men’s 1000-freestyle, finishing ahead of a teammate who placed second.
Senior Susy Hernandez won gold in the women’s 200-freestyle. Willem Huggins earned first place in the same event for the men. Liseska Gallegos Gutierrez led the women in the 100-backstroke while senior Alex Cimera claimed victory on the men’s side.
Another senior honoree, Olivia Herron, finished first in the women’s 100-breaststroke; freshman Maddax Thompson won for the men. Nate Worsham took top honors in the men’s 200-butterfly and Benedek Andor did so in the men’s 50-freestyle.
On diving events, Oliver Mebs won the one-meter dive. Hernandez added another gold medal with her performance in the women’s 100-freestyle, while Cimera repeated his success by winning on the men’s side. Gallegos secured another win in the women’s 200-backstroke.
Herron continued her success by winning again in the women’s 200-breaststroke; Thompson mirrored this result for SIU’s men. Tomas Peciar triumphed in men’s 500-freestyle and Cimera picked up his third win of the day with a first-place finish in men’s 100-butterfly. In final individual races, Herron and Juraj Barcot both claimed first place finishes in their respective heats of the 200-IM (individual medley). The meet concluded with a win from SIU’s men’s “A” squad in the 200-freestyle relay.
Southern Illinois swim and dive will return to action at home against McKendree on Friday, January 16 at 2 p.m.
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