Carbondale Reporter

The Southern Illinois swimming and diving team concluded the A3 Performance Invitational with strong performances from both their men's and women's teams. The women's team finished with 1,140 points, while the men scored 1,023 points.

Head coach Geoff Hanson expressed satisfaction with the team's performance: "We feel really good about the weekend of swimming and diving. It is an indication of where we are just about halfway through the season and lots of good feedback on what we need to adjust moving forward."

The event featured several record-breaking performances. Willem Huggins set a new MVC record in the men's 200-yard backstroke with a time of 1:44.85 after breaking his own earlier mark of 1:45.77. Olivia Herron also made headlines by setting a new MVC record in the women's 200-yard breaststroke at 2:09.60.

Both Olivia Herron and Alex Santiago were recognized as Swimmers of the Meet for their outstanding contributions.

In preliminary events, Southern Illinois' women dominated the 200-yard backstroke, securing the top three positions led by Celia Pulido. On the men's side, Huggins stood out with his record-setting performance in the same event.

Finals highlights included Fernanda Sanchez's victory in the women's 1,650-yard freestyle and Tomas Peciar's second-place finish in the men's race. In relays, both Southern Illinois' men’s and women’s teams secured first place finishes in their respective categories.

The invitational concluded with significant achievements from Southern Illinois' relay teams. The men's team set a new MVC record in the 400-yard medley relay with a time of 2:54.59.

Looking ahead, Hanson noted that "the group heading to the Purdue Invitational next week will look to take the next steps towards best times and NCAA qualification." The Salukis will participate in this upcoming event from November 21-23.

For more updates on Southern Illinois swimming and diving activities, fans can follow them on social media or download their mobile app for news alerts.