The 2008 Missouri State women’s swimming and diving team regained the Missouri Valley Conference title, defeating 2007champion Southern Illinois. The Bears earned the lead in the second day of competition at the Valley meet and never looked back, outscoring the Salukis 942-774.5.
The Bears, led by head coach Jack Steck, assistant coach Dave Collins and diving coach Jim Huelskamp, ended the 2007-08 season as the top team in the Valley. Southern Illinois was the Valley runner-up, followed by Illinois State with 715.50 points, Northern Iowa with 346 points and Evansville with 335 points.
  The Bears broke three MSU individual varsity records and set two new MVC marks at the Valley meet. Chelsea Dirks-Ham shattered the previous MSU and conference record in the 100 butterfly with a record time of 56.34 while Jordan Hawkins tied the Valley record in the 100 backstroke (57.06) and set new Missouri State records in the 50 (23.30) and 100 (51.59) freestyle events.
Missouri State placed 12 athletes on the all-MVC first team list and five athletes earned honorable mention. Nine student-athletes were named MVC Scholar-Athletes as well.
 According to collegeswimming.com, the end of the season saw Missouri State ranked as the 13th-best mid-major program in the country. The MSU swimming squad was the only Valley team ranked at the conclusion of the season. The Bears fell two spots from their 11th-place ranking at the end of the 2006-07 season. Princeton University topped the 2007-08 season-ending poll.
 The Bears opened up the 2007-08 season at home with a disappointing loss to North Texas. Two days later the bears traveled to Columbia, Mo. to compete in the Show Me Showdown. Missouri State proved to be one of the best swimming and diving programs in the state, placing second behind host Missouri. The Bears returned home and gained victories over Delta State and Truman State. The winning streak continued as the Bears defeated Division II powerhouse Drury by a score of 144-97.
In early November, Missouri State suffered three straight road losses to Southern Illinois, Virginia Tech and Missouri in the triple-dual held in Columbia, Mo. MSU traveled to West Lafayette, Ind. two weeks later to compete in the Purdue University Invitational. The Bears swam against tough competition and took sixth overall, outscoring Stanford. Late November, Missouri State posted a third-place finish at the Arkansas-Little Rock Invitational behind Drury and Southern Illinois.
December 15-17 the Bears outscored Delta State, Tampa, New Orleans and Lambuth to capture first place at the Delta State Invitational for the fourth consecutive year. After the New Year, MSU competed at Missouri and dropped dual competitions to Missouri and Arkansas. Missouri State dropped a road meet to Truman before returning home to pick up a huge win over conference rival, Southern Illinois. Missouri State traveled across town to challenge Drury for a second time. The Bears suffered a loss to the Panthers by a score of 135-106.
In the Bears’ last home meet of the season and last meet before the MVC Championship, MSU scored a win over Evansville 126-96. Missouri State earned nine event wins in the competition.
Steck and the MSU swimming squad ended their regular season with a 5-8 dual record. Jordan Hawkins earned MSU Swimmer of the Year honors and Chelsea Dirks-Ham was voted MSU Freshman of the Year. Torrie Villasenor and Sara Griffith were awarded with the Jack Steck Inspiration award. Chelsea Ray was named MSU diver of the Year and Sara Barkley was given the Darin Kent Spirit Award.
 Steck concluded his tenth year as the Missouri State’s women’s swimming and diving coach with an overall women’s record of 71-68.
