SPRINGFIELD - The Missouri State men's and women's swimming & diving teams open the 2026 portion of the season at Drury on Friday, January 16 at 5:00 p.m., with the diving portion at Drury begining at 3 p.m. This meet is followed by senior day celebrations, with another meet against Drury on Saturday, January 17 at 10:00 a.m. at HSC Swimming Pool. The Senior Day ceremony begins at 9:40 a.m. Saturday.
Bear Splashes (Women)
- The women's latest competition was in the House of Champions Invitational at the IU Natatorium, where they finished second overall.
Standout performances at the House of Champions Invitational included:
· Senior Sophia Coleta was the first Bear to finish on the podium, finishing third in the 500-yard freestyle (4:54.50).
· Senior Lana Janson came in second place in the 200-yard individual medley (2:02.80).
· Senior Olivia Sala, Janson, sophomore Lillie Freulon, and junior Makenzie Kurre earned a third-place finish in the 400-yard medley relay (3:40.82).
· In the 200-yard medley relay, the tandem of Sala, Janson, Freulon, and Kurre once again finished in third place (1:41.53).
· Freulon was the first Bear to win an event, taking the gold in the 100-yard butterfly (53.89).
· Kurre earned a second place-finish in the 200-yard freestyle (1:49.24).
· The Bears' first team win was in the 800-yard freestyle relay. Kurre, Janson, Coleta and senior Ainsley Jenkins secured victory with a time of 7:21.24.
· Coleta collected a second-place finish in the 1650-yard freestyle (16:52.44) with Jenkins right behind her in third (16:55.51).
· Kurre earned a second-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle (49.57).
· Janson followed suit, coming second in the 100-yard individual medley (56.68).
· The women collected a final third-place finish with Kurre, Janson, junior Cameryn Johnson and Jenkins finishing with a time of 3:21.61 in the 400-yard freestyle relay.
- Missouri State women's swimming & diving has won 20 of the last 23 Missouri Valley Conference championships and looks to return to the top spot this season after a third-place finish in 2025.
Bear Splashes (Men)
- The men's latest competition was in the House of Champions Invitational at the IU Natatorium, where they also finished second overall.
Standout performances the House of Champions Invitational included:
· Freshman Zach Mendez earned a second-place finish (4:22.74) in the 500-yard freestyle, while sophomore Ilias El Fallaki finished right behind him in third place (4:25.11).
· Senior Lucas Chadwell finished third in the 50-yard freestyle (20.14).
· Senior Gonzalo Ruiz, freshman Kiefer Roemer, sophomore Jack Ailshire and senior Lucas Chadwell earned a third-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay (1:27.79).
· Roemer also took out the silver in the 50-yard breaststroke (24.23), and bronze in the 100-yard breaststroke (53.28).
· Senior Luigi Da Silva finished third in the 50-yard breaststroke, just behind Roemer (24.60).
· The first men's victory went to sophomore Máté Miszlai in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 3:53.09.
· Mendez earned a second-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle (1:36.44).
· The Bears' first team victory was in the 800-yard freestyle relay. Mendez, El Fallaki, senior Jack Grandy and Miszlai teamed up to take gold with a time of (6:34.37).
· Mendez was victorious in the 1650-yard freestyle (15:29.83). El Fallaki also ended up on the podium, coming in third (15:38.24).
· Ailshire finished third in the 50-yard butterfly (21.48).
· Miszlai finished in second place in the 200-yard backstroke (1:45.79), with Ruiz right behind him in third (1:46.67).
· Junior Anderson Brown came second in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:47.54.
· Roemer rounded out the meet with a third-place finish in the 100-yard individual medley (50.14).
- Missouri State men's swimming & diving is also looking to improve on a third-place finish at the MVC Championship in February. The team has won 21 conference championships in its history, including five MVC championships.
Series History vs. Drury
· Missouri State men's swimming & diving holds a 23-23 dual record against the Panthers.
· Missouri State women's swimming & diving holds a 17-20 dual record against the Panthers.
Head Coach Dave Collins
- Missouri State swimming & diving head coach Dave Collins enters his 15th season and will look for his 13th women's conference championship and fourth men's league title. He has been named MVC Swimming Coach of the Year eight times. He was also a five-time Mid-American Conference Swimming Coach of the Year.
List of Events
Friday January 16th @ Drury
3:00 PM Diving Competition Starts
Women's 3-Meter
Men's 1-Meter
5:00 PM - Swimming Competition Starts
400 Medley Relay
400 IM
-10 Min Break-
100 Fly
200 Free
50 Free
-10 Min Break-
100 Breast
100 Back
500 Free
200 Free Relay
Saturday January 17th @ MSU [SENIOR DAY]
9:40 - Senior Recognition
10:00 AM Swimming Competition Starts
200 Medley Relay
1000 FR
-10 Min Break-
200 Back
200 Breast
200 Fly
-10 Min Break-
200 IM
400 Free Relay
-45 Min Diving Warmup-
Women's 1-Meter
Men's 3-Meter
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