Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Swimmers To Host MVC Championships
03/14/2001 | 12:00:00 | Swimming & Diving
February 15, 2001
The best the Missouri Valley has to offer will be on tap Thursday, Friday and Saturday as SIU hosts the MVC Swimming and Diving Championships. SIU is gunning for its fourth straight women's crown and the men will be hoping to regain the crown it held exclusively the first five years since the MVC reinstated the sport.
The Saluki men had won the first five with Southwest Missouri State coming in second each year. Last year SMS won the crown by 28.5 points because SIU was without divers. The Saluki women have won the past three titles and five of the first six crowns only missing out in 1997 when Illinois State won. Last season, 11 men's records and ten women's fell with SIU setting all of the men's records and the women setting or tying six of the ten.
The Saluki men who are defending champions are Chris Papachysanthou in the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle, Corne Prozesky in the 400 individual medley and 200 breaststroke and Matt Munz in the 100 butterfly and 200 backstroke. In addition the 200 free relay, 200 medley relay, 800 free relay and 400 free relay teams will be defending their crowns.
Defending Saluki women champions are Brooke Radostits in the 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke, Jenna Meckler in the 100 freestyle, Daniela Muniz in the 200 butterfly and Amber Mullins in the 1650 freestyle. Also defending its title will be the 400 free relay team.
The Saluki men own the relays since the sport was reinstated in 1995. Since then SIU has won the 200 free relay, the 400 medley relay, the 800 free relay and the 400 free relay races all six years. In addition, SIU is tops in the sprint races winning the 50 and 100 freestyle each year also.
For the women, Radostits has been the standard of excellence since she arrived as a freshman from Rich East High School in Park Forest. She has won her signature events, the 100 and 200 backstroke, each of her first two seasons including holding the MVC championship record in both events. In addition, SIU has won the 200 butterfly event each of the six seasons with four different swimmers taking the title.
The action starts at 11 a.m. on Thursday and Friday with the preliminary races followed by the finals at 6 p.m. Saturday swimming starts at 10:30 in the morning with the finals slated for 5 p.m. Admission is free for the three-day event at the SIU Student Recreation Center Pool on Grand Avenue.
