Bears Split with SIU in Swimming & Diving Opener

Saturday, October 3

Carbondale, Ill.

10:00 a.m.

Missouri State University

Southern Illinois - Day 2

Day Two Results

Bears Split with SIU in Swimming & Diving Opener

October 03, 2026 | Swimming and Diving

Day Two Results Day One Results

By: MSU Athletics Communications

CARBONDALE, Ill. – Missouri State and Southern Illinois finished with a split in the two-day 2026-27 swimming and diving season opener here Saturday. The Bears captured the victory on the men's side, 196-157, while the Salukis won the women's division, 199-152.

The Mo State men claimed wins in six of the 10 Saturday events, including a relay and five individual titles, while the women added three individual wins to their weekend haul.

For the men, Anderson Brown (Sr., Kyle, Texas) claimed two more wins on Saturday with victories in the 100 butterfly (48.57) and 400 IM (3:58.81) to give him four weekend titles. Elias Mendez (Fr., Stillwater, Okla.) added a 100 backstroke (50.66) victory; Kiefer Roemer (So., Bettendorf, Iowa) finished first in the 200 breaststroke (2:00.50); and Zach Mendez (So., Lansing, Kan.) won the men's 200 freestyle crown (1:40.79).

The Bears also were victorious in the 200 medley relay (1:31.06) with Elias Mendez, Roemer, Brown and Jack Ailshire (Jr., Greenwood, Mo.) collecting valuable points in the opening-weekend rivalry win.

"The men have been pretty clear about wanting to raise the standard of this program, and part of doing that is going on the road, and beating good teams," said Collins. "I thought we brought really good energy this weekend and competed with some edge, which I liked. We did a lot of things well, but we also saw plenty that needs to get cleaned up. we won a good meet on the road and I don't think we're anywhere close to what this group can do."

The women's side featured three more titles on day two. In the pool, Makenzie Kurre (Sr., Savannah, Mo.) touched the wall first in the 200 freestyle (1:53.88), while Lauren Konarske (Fr., Verona, Wis.) was the champion in the 200 breaststroke.

The other women's victory came on the three-meter board with another Mo State sweep featuring champion Valeria Meza (Jr., Bentonville, Ark.) with a 272.63 score. Friday's one-meter champion Delaney Nickles (Jr., St. Paul, Minn.) finished second on the high board (250.35), and Maggie Arceneaux (Sr., Wildwood, Mo.) was third (215.40).

Mo State's second women's diving sweep of the weekend was an impressive display in the eyes of Bears diving coach Jim Huelskamp.

"We have a lot of new faces on this year's diving team," Huelskamp said. "The mix of new freshman, a transfer and a solid upperclassman group provides us with outstanding depth. The women sweeping both boards was a highlight along with the freshman guys (Emery Robinson and Britton Hooper) finishing top three. I'm looking forward to us continuing to get better each week."

Collins also noted his opening-weekend assessment of the Missouri State women's squad.

"This meet provided us with a good sense of where we are and where we need to go," the 15th-year head coach said. "We had some individual performances that we can really build on, but as a whole we weren't as sharp or as competitive as we needed to be. This is just the beginning and I believe there is more in this group than what we showed this weekend, and now it's on us as coaches to get back to work and start bringing that out. We have a lot of season in front of us, and I'm looking forward to seeing how this group responds to the challenge."

The Bears will next be in action Oct. 16-17 when they travel to Columbia to take on Missouri and Indiana State in an early season tri-meet. Mo State makes its home debut the weekend of Oct. 30-31 against Omaha at Hammons Student Center.

"We have a few weeks before we compete against Mizzou," Collins remarked. "I'm looking forward to making those weeks challenging. There's a lot of potential in this group, but potential doesn't mean much unless we're willing to push the standard every day."

#GoBears

Saturday Results
Women's FINAL Score
1. SIU 199
2. Missouri State 152

Women's 200 Medley Relay
2. Missouri State A   1:45.98
3. Missouri State B   1:46.53

Women's 1000 Freestyle
2. Claire Culberson   10:31.02
3. Lindsey Hervey   10:32.32

Women's 50 Freestyle
3. Makenzie Kurre   24.43
5. Cameryn Johnson   24.90
7. Paige Corbin   25.11
8. Macie Kunz   25.15

Women's 100 Backstroke
2. Hadleigh Henslee   58.50
4. Olivia Sala   58.80
7. Caitlyn Friebe   1:00.83

Women's 200 Breaststroke
1. Lauren Konarske   2:18.94
4. Paige Corbin   2:24.25
5. Brylie Ray   2:25.94
8. Kennedy Grosklaus   2:37.15

Women's 100 Butterfly
2. Lillie Freulon   57.01
3. Addie Ludbrook   57.35
5. Macie Kunz   59.54

Women's 200 Freestyle
1. Makenzie Kurre   1:53.88
3. Ane Meier   1:55.41
6. Cameryn Johnson   2:01.55

Women's 400 IM
2. Aleca Howard   4:31.71
4. Olivia Sala   4:33.25
6. Evie Kolb   4:42.44

Women's 400 Freestyle Relay
2. Missouri State A   3:30.54
3. Missouri State B   3:34.38

Women's 3M Diving
1. Valeria Hernandez Meza   272.63
2. Delaney Nickels   250.35
3. Maggie Arceneaux   215.40
5. Grace Affeldt   210.53
-- Grace Weisse   160.65

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Men's FINAL Score
1. Missouri State 196
2. SIU 157

Men's 200 Medley Relay
1. Missouri State A   1:31.06
3. Missouri State B   1:34.33

Men's 1000 Freestyle
2. Zach Mendez   9:29.37
3. Mate Miszlai   9:39.05
4. Tomas Chocholaty   9:41.32
6. Ilias el Fallaki   9:49.01

Men's 50 Freestyle
2. Kiefer Roemer   21.46
3. Jack Ailshire   21.58
6. Reece Pangburn   21.69

Men's 100 Backstroke
1. Elias Mendez   50.66
3. Gonzolo Ruiz Vazquez   51.79
5. Onur Ege Oksuz   52.48

Men's 200 Breaststroke
1. Kiefer Roemer   2:00.50
2. Ethan Nguyen   2:06.48
4. Peter Wendol   2:08.27

Men's 100 Butterfly
1. Anderson Brown   48.57
3. Jack Ailshire   50.32

Men's 200 Freestyle
1. Zach Mendez   1:40.79
4. Mate Miszial   1:42.53
5. Tomas Chocholaty   1:42.94
6. Kayden Hedrick   1:43.40

Men's 400 IM
1. Anderson Brown   3:58.81
3. Onur Ege Oksuz   4:01.77
4. Elias Mendez   4:04.64
5. Ethan Nguyen   4:09.19

Men's 400 Freestyle Relay
2. Missouri State A   3:05.29
4. Missouri State B   3:09.32

Men's 1M Diving
2. Emery Robison   292.28
5. Britton Hooper   254.25