SPRINGFIELD - The Missouri State men's and women's swimming & diving teams end the team season at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship, conducted over four days in Evansville, Ind. starting on Wednesday, February 25 at 10:30 a.m. at the Deaconess Aquatic Center.

"We are excited to get going this week. The combined format should make for a very electric atmosphere. I feel like our preparation has been good and we are ready for a big week of racing," stated head coach Dave Collins.

Bear Splashes (Women)

• The women's team overcame UIC in the Bears' latest meet, with a tough 178-175 scoreline.

Standout performances against UIC included:

• Freshman Aleca Howard had a stellar meet winning three events. In the crucial 200-yard breaststroke she led a Bears' podium finish, taking the gold with a time of 2:19.39. Senior Olivia Sala earned the silver (2:21.59), while freshman Paige Corbin earned the bronze (2:21.67).
• Howard also took out the 200-yard individual medley (2:04.94) and the 400-yard individual medley (4:26.14) highlighting her brilliant form.
• Senior Mackenzie Kurre won the 50-yard freestyle (23.37) and the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 49.93, whilst anchoring two relay wins as well.
• Sala, senior Lana Janson, sophomore Lillie Freulon, and Kurre claimed victory in the 200-yard medley relay (1:42.45).
• In the 400-yard relay, Janson, junior Ane Meier, senior Ainsley Jenkins and Kurre won the gold with a time of 3:22.78.  
• Senior Evie Kolb won the 1650-yard freestyle with a personal best time of 16:57.78.
• On the diving board, in the one-meter competition freshman Delaney Nickles came second with a score of 244.88 just behind Flames' Kerry-Leigh Morrison (246.60).
• 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 team dominated against UIC in the Bears' latest meet, with a 223-110 scoreline.  

Standout performances against UIC included:

• Freshman Zack Mendez set a personal best in the 1650-yard freestyle (15:18.98).
• On the diving board, in the one-meter competition senior Storm Opdahl won comfortably with a score of 264.98.
• Senior Gonzalo Ruiz, freshman Kiefer Roemer, sophomore Jack Ailshire, and senior Lucas Chadwell secured the win in the 400-yard medley relay (3:13.81).
• Sophomore Mate Miszlai also won the 400-yard individual medley (3:54.86).
• In the 100-yard freestyle, Chadwell took top spot (44.59), scraping past teammate Matvei Chesakov who finished second (44.91).
• Ruiz also secured first place in the 200-yard backstroke (1:46.20) just ahead of Miszlai who was the runner-up (1:46.42).
• Miszlai earned another gold however in the 200-yard butterfly, (1:49.94), just three milliseconds in front of freshman Kayden Hedrick who earned silver (1:49.97).
• 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.

• 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.

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