This story has been updated with the correct standings following Day 2.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Senior Lily DeSpain dominated the 500-yard freestyle across Day 2 of the MVC Women's Swimming & Diving Championships. The two-time MVC Swimmer of the Week this season took the fastest qualifying time in the 500 free prelims (4:51.39), followed by fellow senior Anna Lucas (4:51.39). 

DeSpain blew her prelim time out of the water in the final, putting up an MVC season-best 4:48.23 for her third career conference gold medal and second in an individual event. She led by over two seconds by the halfway mark and kept pulling away, winning the final heat by over three seconds. Missouri State has now won the 500 free for a record seventh straight season.

"I am so excited about the 500 freestyle," DeSpain said. "We had four of the eight top times and we had a bunch of people in the B Final and the C Final. Seeing everyone on the sidelines always gets me really excited and I'm happy that I got to win for the Bears."

Lucas, last year's 500 free champion, finished fifth in the A Final this year (4:55.76). Junior Lauren Chaney secured her career-best MVC finish in an event, earning fourth place in the 500 free (4:54.41). Freshman Lindsey Hervey rounded out the Bears in the 500 free A Final with a seventh-place result in her first MVC Championship appearance. 

In her first MVC Championship meet, sophomore Lana Janson earned a close runner-up finish in the 200 IM (2:01.67) for her first career conference podium. Janson came in at about half a second behind Little Rock's Gillian Boggs for the title, but Janson made up four spots in the final 50 yards to take the silver.

"I'm really happy with how my race went," Janson said. "I'm excited with how that went and I'm excited to see what I can do tomorrow."

Fifth-year senior Jordan Wenner added another medal to Missouri State's collection while building up one of her own. After helping the Bears to a gold in the 200-yard medley relay on Wednesday, Wenner took her first career MVC silver medal and 11th medal overall with the team's season-best time in the 50-yard freestyle (22.84), finishing just .18 seconds off now back-to-back champion Faith Larsen of Northern Iowa.

"My last 50 free here was pretty special," Wenner said. "I got to see my teammates and my parents up in the stands. All that support just really made me want to go for it and get my hand on the wall."

Senior Anika Lam made her first career MVC Championship A Final in the 50 free after an impressive swim in the prelims. She finished eighth in the event with a finals time of 23.44.

Janson, Wenner, Lam and DeSpain concluded the second day with a bronze showing in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:31.50), snapping a six-year winning streak in the event for the Bears. Northern Iowa set a new record time in the event (1:30.89), a record Missouri State had since the 2022 MVC Championships (1:31.19).

The Bears extended their lead by 67 points over current second-place team Indiana State compared to the end of Day 1. The 2024 MVC Women's Swimming & Diving Championships continue with Day 3 starting with prelims at 10:30 a.m., followed by finals starting at 6:00 p.m. The 3-meter diving prelims and consolation events will also take place on Friday.

Standings After Day 2*
* Updated standings 

1.    Missouri State - 531.5
2.    Indiana State - 444.5
3.    Northern Iowa - 357
4.    Illinois State - 302.5
5.    Little Rock - 290
6.    Southern Illinois - 282.5
7.    UIC - 276
8.    Evansville - 162
9.    Valparaiso - 124

Tomorrow's Schedule

Friday, Feb. 23
Prelims: 10:30 a.m. CT (Watch)
- 100-yard Butterfly
- 400-yard IM
- 200-yard Freestyle
- 100-yard Breaststroke
- 100-yard Backstroke
- 3-meter Diving Prelims (Watch)

Finals: 6:00 p.m. CT (Watch)
- 100-yard Butterfly
- 400-yard IM
- 200-yard Freestyle
- 100-yard Breaststroke
- 100-yard Backstroke
- 3-meter Diving Consolation (9-16) (Watch)
- 400-yard Medley Relay