OXFORD, Ohio - Missouri State finished third in the 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Men's Swimming & Diving Championships which came to an end Saturday night at Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center. Pre-championship favorite Miami (Ohio) secured its fifth consecutive conference title after winning the last four Mid-American Conference Championships.

"I am proud of the guys for their effort this week," head coach Dave Collins said. "It is clear we were not at our best, but that doesn't take away from their commitment to each other and our program. I am especially proud of our three seniors for their leadership."

Missouri State had a couple of individual medalists on the final day of competition to close out the season. Freshman Gonzalo Ruiz put the finishing touches on what was an outstanding rookie campaign with a silver medal in the 200-yard backstroke (1:44.88). The three-time MVC Freshman of the Week set a new personal best time in the event, besting his previous high of 1:45.15 he set when he won gold at the House of Champions Invitational.

Chris Bedsole, who earned his first career conference medal in Friday night's 200-yard freestyle relay, took home his first individual medal on Saturday by sneaking into third place in the 200-yard butterfly (1:47.00). His time was just .03 seconds off his personal best time in the prelims of the event at last season's MAC Championships which netted him a sixth-place result. 

In prelims this morning, Luigi Maciel da Silva set the MVC record in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:56.77. He finished nearly two seconds ahead of next-best finisher UIC's James McCarthy (1:58.68). In the finals, Maciel da Silva got out to an early lead, but McCarthy came back to steal the gold medal with a time of 1:57.12. Maciel da Silva finished fourth at 1:57.90.

Missouri State had three swimmers in the top nine of the 100-yard freestyle. Matvei Chesakov led the Bears in fifth with a finals time of 44.20. He set a personal best in the prelims earlier in the day with a time of 44.01, which was also fifth-fastest of the heat. MVC 200-yard freestyle champion Reese Hodgins finished eighth in the 100 free A Final with a personal-best time of 44.33. George Holesinger touched the wall first in the B Final to secure a ninth place overall finish with a career-best 44.47.

The Bears ended the swimming portion of the season with a bronze-medal finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Holesinger, Chesakov, Lucas Chadwell and Hodgins combined for a time of 2:56.93 to beat the team's previous season-best time in the event by .04 seconds set by the four at the House of Champions Invitational. 

Hodgins led the Bears with four total medals at this year's championships and was the only Bear to get at least one gold, silver and bronze medal.

In diving, Storm Opdahl was seventh in the 3-meter diving finals with a score of 277.80. His teammate Logan Schelfaut slotted in one spot behind him in eighth (242.85).

The Missouri State women's swimming & diving team will look to win its ninth consecutive MVC Championship when the women's conference championships start next week on Wednesday, Feb. 26 and conclude on Saturday, March 1 at Waukee Community School District Natatorium in Waukee, Iowa. The women's championships can be viewed on the UNI Athletics YouTube page.

Final Standings
1.    Miami (Ohio) - 820
2.    Southern Illinois - 691.5
3.    Missouri State - 602.5
4.    UIC - 553.5
5.    Ball State - 387.5
6.    Valparaiso - 139
7.    Evansville - 127

All-MVC Team (Missouri State)
Chris Bedsole (First Team)
Luigi Maciel da Silva (First Team)
Jack Grandy (First Team)
Reese Hodgins (First Team)
George Holesinger (First Team)
Gonzalo Ruiz (First Team)
Brunno Suzuki-Tomiyama (First Team)
Matvei Chesakov (Honorable Mention)
Brayden Goeldner (Honorable Mention)
Storm Opdahl (Honorable Mention)
Simeon Sabev (Honorable Mention)
Logan Schelfaut (Honorable Mention)

2025 MVC Men's Swimming & Diving Postseason Awards
Swimmer of the Year: Alex Santiago, Southern Illinois
Diver of the Year: Harrison Nolan, UIC
Freshman Swimmer of the Year: Owen Hoban, Miami (Ohio)
Freshman Diver of the Year: Lucas Lauzon, Southern Illinois
Swimming Coach of the Year: Samantha Pitter, Miami (Ohio)
Diving Coach of the Year: Susan Bromberg, UIC
Elite 18 Award: Alex Cimera, Southern Illinois