SIU finishes second at MVC Championships

Saturday, February 18

Iowa City, Iowa

TBA

Southern Illinois University

Women's MVC Championships

02/18/2017 | 9:52:00 | Swimming & Diving

By: By Drew Hoffman, SIUSalukis.com

FINAL RESULTS
AWARDS / CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL

CEDAR FALLS, IOWA - The Southern Illinois women's swimming and diving team finished second to Missouri State at the conclusion of the Missouri Valley Conference championships today. The Salukis won three titles over the four-day tournament and had six athletes named All-MVC first-team.

Southern started the final day with the 1,650-yard freestyle, sending four to the finals. Bryn Handley grabbed the top spot with a time of 16:29.21, bringing her title count up to three. Right behind Handley in second place was senior Lauren Stockton. Nicole Fuller finished in eighth place and Maggie Burke placed 19th.

"We had several highs and several lows throughout the championships," head coach Rick Walker said. "However, these ladies were determined to go out on a high note. Bryn Handley had an outstanding 1,650."

The next final up was the 200-yard backstroke. Sarah James represented SIU in the 'A' final and Savannah Henry and Sara Nazari swam for SIU in the 'C' final. James finished in fourth place, recording a time of 1:59.93. Henry and Nazari finished 19th and 23rd, respectively.

McKenna Avery, Kristina Ksarjian, Ott, and Riley Schroedter competed in the 100-yard freestyle next. Avery finished eighth overall, followed by Ksarjian (13), Ott (14), and Schroedter (17). The four ladies were able to add 18 points to SIU's total.

The 200-yard breaststroke was next and the Dawgs had five competing in the finals, which was tied for the most of any school. Parsons and Laura Carver finished fourth and fifth to lead SIU, picking up 29 points. Abby Kresal finished 15th overall and Jessica Peck grabbed a 17th place finish. The next event would yet again have three Salukis in the 'A' final, the most of any school, and one in the 'B' final. Audrey Snyder led the way, finishing in second place. Payton Parman and Nicole Fuller finished in seventh and eighth place overall, both recording times just outside the top-five best. Jordan Ries swam for SIU in the 'B' final and came in third place, only .76 seconds behind the first place finisher in the heat.

"We have the makings of a great one two punch out of our freshman breaststrokers (Parsons, Carver)," Walker said. "We finished with a tremendous performance out of Audrey in the 200-yard butterfly. The team performed very well under pressure."

In the final event of the day the Salukis took third place. The 400-yard freestyle relay featured a new MVC record by Northern Iowa, who finished first, followed by MSU and SIU.

"Our program came away hungry for something they know they can reach," Walker said. "Tougher then they thought they could be, and proud of what they have overcome. We could have easily rolled over and played dead, but these Salukis have decided there is something better in our future even if it hurts a little to reach for it. I could not be more pleased or proud of their efforts."