Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University's women's swim and dive team is set to compete against Vanderbilt in Nashville on Saturday. This meet marks the final regular season competition for the Salukis before they head into the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Championships later this month.

The event will take place at Centennial Sportsplex, starting at 1 p.m., with live results available via Meet Mobile.

Head coach Geoff Hanson expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming challenge. "We are really looking forward to the challenge of competing against Vanderbilt this weekend," he stated. "The opportunity to race against a team from the SEC, the fastest swimming conference in America, in their home pool and on their Senior Day will be a great test for the Saluki women. It is also our last regular season meet before the MVC Championships in late February, so it is an important competition to gauge where we are just about four weeks away from our biggest meet. I expect our women to be ready to battle."

In their previous outing on January 18, Southern Illinois secured a decisive victory over Eastern Illinois with a score of 194-58 during their Senior Day. The women's squad dominated by winning 14 gold medals and placing numerous individuals and relay teams on the podium.

Key performances were delivered by Celia Pulido, Olivia Herron, and Susanna Hernandez. Pulido excelled in both individual events and as part of the winning 200-yard medley relay team. Herron also contributed significantly with victories in multiple events including the 200-yard breaststroke and individual medley. Hernandez completed her relay team's success while also clinching first place in sprint freestyle events.

Following these achievements, Olivia Herron was named MVC's Women's Swimmer of the Week, while Liseska Gallegos Gutierrez received Freshman of the Week honors for their contributions across recent meets.

Olivia Herron continues to be a standout performer heading into this weekend's meet. Hailing from Manchester, England, she has consistently met NCAA "B" standards and achieved eight podium finishes across recent competitions.

For those interested in following Southern Illinois' swim and dive activities more closely, updates can be found on social media platforms X (@SIU_SwimDive), Instagram (@siu_swimdive), Facebook (facebook.com/SIUSwimDive), or through downloading the "Salukis" Mobile App available on both iOS and Android devices.