Southern Illinois University
Indiana State/Ball State
Swim and Dive heads to Indiana for final road slate of 2019
01/24/2019 | 10:15:00 | Swimming & Diving
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois swimming and diving program travels east to Indiana for two days of swim action. The Salukis first head to Terra Haute, Ind. to face Indiana State and Ball State on Saturday, Jan. 26 at 1 p.m. The program then travels to Fishers, Ind. for the Butler Invitational on Sunday, Jan. 27 at 12 p.m. The meet, held at Fishers High School, will feature St. Louis, Xavier, Valparaiso, Illinois, IUPUI, Ball State and Youngstown State.
At Indiana State, the Saluki women will compete versus the Sycamores, while the men's team will take on the Cardinals. Both the men and women are set to compete in the Butler Invite.
THOUGHTS FROM COACH WALKER
On what he expects from the Saluki swimmers and divers
The key is to handle your business. If they cultivate an environment for success, then the best is possible.
On the competition
This will be a tough challenge for our Dawgs with two meets back-to-back. However, if they can keep their spirits high and focus, then they will definitely be able to handle the stress of conferences.
On the impact of Saturday's win verses Arkansas-Little Rock
A win is a win and I think they know that each individual makes the strength of a team. With that in mind, we keep trying to add to the solidarity of that team.
HISTORY VERSUS INDIANA STATE AND BALL STATE
The Saluki women hold a 4-0 advantage over Indiana State and most recently defeated the Sycamores 189-111 last season. Southern won 10 of the 16 events in the victory, with two coming from diver Beibei Ji. In the first matchup between the two schools since 1980, Southern beat the revamped Indiana State program 142-111.
The Saluki men are 2-1 all-time over Ball State. Since Southern joined the Mid-American Conference in 2009, the Salukis have placed higher than the Cardinals in the MAC Championships every year. The two programs last swam against each other in dual-meet action in 2012, resulting in a Southern loss, 176-124.
BUTLER INVITE HISTORY
SIU is competing at the Butler Invite for the fifth-straight year. At last year's invite, the men and women placed third and fourth.
The men's team has won the Butler Invite twice — 2015 and 2017 — in five appearances all-time. Current Salukis Kai Hoffmann-Dussome and Chris Cole were vital to the teams success in the last invite victory. Hoffmann-Dussome swept the one- and three-meter diving events with scores of 247.00 and 300.65, while Cole swam to second place in the 200-yard backstroke (1:54.59) and 1650-yard freestyle (15:59.98).
The women's team experienced their best result in 2015, when Southern took second out of six teams. At last year's invite, seniors Jess Peck and Jordan Ries garnered wins in the 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard freestyle for Southern with times of 1:07.01 and 1:54.79.
CONFERENCE RANKINGS
Salukis in the MVC top-five
Beibei Ji
• 1st - One-meter dive (303.90)
• 1st - One-meter dive (323.55)
Baobao Ji
• 2nd - Three-meter dive (306.75)
• 3rd - One-meter dive (294.60)
Samantha Parsons
• 2nd - 200-breast (2:16.84)
Emma Brazeau
• 3rd - 100-fly (54.96)
• 3rd - 200-breast (2:18.12)
• 4th - 200-IM (2:04.48)
• 5th - 100-breast (1:04.68)
Jordan Ries
• 4th - 200-free (1:51.83)
Rita Naude
• 5th - 100-fly (55.76)
Audrey Snyder
• 5th - 200-fly (2:04.94)
Laura Carver
• 5th - 400-IM (4:26.29)
Salukis in the MAC top-five
Eli Mercado
• 1st - One-meter dive (339.05)
• 3rd - Three-Meter dive (343.20)
Kai Hoffmann-Dussome
• 2nd - Three-meter dive (343.68)
• 3rd - One-meter dive (318.15)
Reilly Garman
• 2nd - 200-free (1:38.34)
• 4th - 100-free (45.33)
Zheng Yang Yeap
• 4th - 200-free (1:39.44)
• 5th - 500-free (4:31.09)
Chris Cole
• 4th - 400-IM (3:58.52)
• 5th - 200-back (1:51.39)
• 5th - 1650-free (15:44.60)
Fu Kang
• 4th - 100-breast (55.22)
• 4th - 200-breast (2:02.09)
Chris Phillips
• 5th - 200-IM (1:53.33)
SALUKIS IN THE RECORD BOOK
SIU swimmers Emma Brazeau, Samantha Parsons and Fu Kang have broke into the record book with impressive times over the course of the season.
Brazeau recorded the second-fastest 100-yard butterfly time in school history — timed at 54.96 — at the Mizzou Invite (11/15/18). Her career-best mark surpassed Karen McIntyre's time of 55.23, which was set during the 1986-87 swim season. Brazeau now holds the second, fourth and fifth fastest times times in the 100-fly in Saluki history.
Parsons swam a time of 2:16.84 in the 200-yard breaststroke at the Mizzou Invite, good for fifth-fastest in school history. The performance bounced out her time of 2:17.17 at the 2017 Purdue Invite for fifth overall. The junior is considered one of the top breaststrokers in Saluki history, holding school records in the 100- and 200-breast (1:02.27 and 2:14.40).
Kang made history at the Mizzou Invite as well. The newcomer swam 55.22 in the 100-breast, which was the fourth-fastest mark in SIU history. The time beat out Jameson Kuper's mark of 55.29, set during the 2009-10 season.
DIVING TO VICTORY
Saluki divers have swept diving events in every dual meet that they have participated in this season. The success has led to a combined 14 victories by Southern divers Beibei Ji, Baobao Ji, Kai Hoffmann-Dussome and Eli Mercado. All four divers rank in the top-three in both the one- and three-meter dives in their respective conferences.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
For the latest updates on the Salukis this weekend, follow the team on Twitter @SIU_SwimDive, on Instagram @SIUSwimAndDive and on Facebook at Saluki Swimming and Diving.
Players Mentioned
