
Salukis take seven events at Missouri State
10/07/2017 | 4:13:00 | Swimming & Diving
Handley swept both of her races and set a new pool record
Led by the team's divers, the Salukis won seven events on the road against their long-time rivals, Missouri State.
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Southern won three of the four diving events and senior Bryn Handley dominated her events against the Bears and set a new Missouri State pool record in the process.
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Handley swam the 1,000-yard freestyle in 10:05.95 to break the previous Hammons Student Center Pool record of 10:07.95. She won the race by almost five seconds over Missouri State's Liberty Howell. Handley also won the women's 500-yard freestyle to complete a sweep of the events she raced in as an individual. Her 400-yard freestyle relay team of Handley, McKenna Avery, Chandler Ott and Kelsie Walker, turned in a second place finish.
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Sophomore swimmer Samantha Parsons also added to Southern's victories in the 200-yard breaststroke. She edged out Missouri State's Vikte Labanauskaite by half a second in the race. Parsons finished third in the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:11.14.
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On the men's side in the pool, senior Alex Crawford and junior Chris Cole led the Salukis. Cole turned in two top-five finishes, one in the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 9:34.90. He was only a second away from a second-place finish. Cole was fourth in the 200-yard butterfly. He and Missouri State's Kacper Cwiek had a tight race for third place. Cwiek edged out Cole by less than a hundredth of a second.
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Crawford also turned in two top-five finishes. His first came in the 50-yard freestyle. He was fifth with a time of 22.03. Later in the meet, Crawford finished second in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 1:52.77. Crawford was just a half second behind Missouri State's Conner Ripp, who won the event. The 400-yard medley relay team of Crawford, Sam Drew, Reilly Garman and Matt Ciezczak turned in a third place performance in their race.
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In diving, the Salukis continued what has been a great start to the 2017-18 season. Sophomore diver Baobao Ji swept the one and three-meter dives for her third and fourth event wins of the year. She set a personal best in the one-meter dive with a score of 280.80 to edge out her twin sister, Beibei Ji for the victory. Southern Rachel Williams was fourth with a score of 245.02. In the three-meter dive, Baobao and Beibei secured a one-two finish in both women's events for the Salukis. Beibei's score of 286.80 to earn the victory a personal best. Rachel Williams was fourth and Lani Cieszynski was fifth to help the Salukis fill four of the top-five spots.
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On the men's side, Eli Mercado continued his dominance in the one-meter dive. He turned in a score of 282.67 to secure his third-straight victory in the event. In the three-meter dive, Mercado finished second with a score of 250.87.
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The Salukis will be back in action on October 21 when the team heads to Edwardsville for a tri-meet against McKendree and Truman State.
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Southern won three of the four diving events and senior Bryn Handley dominated her events against the Bears and set a new Missouri State pool record in the process.
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Handley swam the 1,000-yard freestyle in 10:05.95 to break the previous Hammons Student Center Pool record of 10:07.95. She won the race by almost five seconds over Missouri State's Liberty Howell. Handley also won the women's 500-yard freestyle to complete a sweep of the events she raced in as an individual. Her 400-yard freestyle relay team of Handley, McKenna Avery, Chandler Ott and Kelsie Walker, turned in a second place finish.
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Sophomore swimmer Samantha Parsons also added to Southern's victories in the 200-yard breaststroke. She edged out Missouri State's Vikte Labanauskaite by half a second in the race. Parsons finished third in the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:11.14.
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On the men's side in the pool, senior Alex Crawford and junior Chris Cole led the Salukis. Cole turned in two top-five finishes, one in the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 9:34.90. He was only a second away from a second-place finish. Cole was fourth in the 200-yard butterfly. He and Missouri State's Kacper Cwiek had a tight race for third place. Cwiek edged out Cole by less than a hundredth of a second.
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Crawford also turned in two top-five finishes. His first came in the 50-yard freestyle. He was fifth with a time of 22.03. Later in the meet, Crawford finished second in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 1:52.77. Crawford was just a half second behind Missouri State's Conner Ripp, who won the event. The 400-yard medley relay team of Crawford, Sam Drew, Reilly Garman and Matt Ciezczak turned in a third place performance in their race.
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In diving, the Salukis continued what has been a great start to the 2017-18 season. Sophomore diver Baobao Ji swept the one and three-meter dives for her third and fourth event wins of the year. She set a personal best in the one-meter dive with a score of 280.80 to edge out her twin sister, Beibei Ji for the victory. Southern Rachel Williams was fourth with a score of 245.02. In the three-meter dive, Baobao and Beibei secured a one-two finish in both women's events for the Salukis. Beibei's score of 286.80 to earn the victory a personal best. Rachel Williams was fourth and Lani Cieszynski was fifth to help the Salukis fill four of the top-five spots.
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On the men's side, Eli Mercado continued his dominance in the one-meter dive. He turned in a score of 282.67 to secure his third-straight victory in the event. In the three-meter dive, Mercado finished second with a score of 250.87.
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The Salukis will be back in action on October 21 when the team heads to Edwardsville for a tri-meet against McKendree and Truman State.
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Players Mentioned
9.18.25 | Drew Steffe with Rodney Watson
Thursday, September 18
9.17.25 | Saluki Radio Football Podcast - SEMO
Wednesday, September 17
Inside Saluki Athletics - September 16th
Wednesday, September 17
9.16.25 | Coach Nick Hill Weekly Press Conference
Tuesday, September 16