Thursday, October 17
Urbana-Champaign, IL
5 PM
Southern Illinois University
at
Illinois/Illinois State (WOMEN)
Women's team to face Illinois and Illinois State
10/16/2019 | 3:00:00 | Swimming & Diving
The Southern Illinois women's swimming and diving team is set to compete against in-state rivals Illinois and Illinois State in tri-meet action on Thursday, Oct. 17 in Champaign, Ill. Events inside the ARC Pool will begin at 5 p.m. CT and results can be tracked online on the Meet Mobile app.
THOUGHTS FROM COACH HANSON
On opportunity to face Illinois and Illinois State…
I think it is a great opportunity for us to go to a Big Ten school and show where we are at this point in the season. We want to win our dual meets, so we plan to go in there with our full lineup. We have few athletes dealing with sickness and injuries, but we are going to give everything we have with our available swimmers and divers.
On this being the biggest test of the season…
On paper, they are the two best women's teams we will see so far. Both Illinois and Illinois State beat us last year at home, so we want to redeem ourselves and perform better.
On confidence of team after 3-0 start to the season…
I think they are feeling good about where they are at. We have to take it one meet at a time, but as soon as our meet on Friday finished, we started thinking about Illinois and Illinois State. Our training has not changed, but we have been practicing hard in preparation for this next test. We will really start dialing in once we get on the bus for Illinois.
HISTORY AGAINST ILLINOIS & ILLINOIS STATE
The Saluki women have faced Illinois and Illinois State in tri-meet action the last five seasons. In the most recent matchup, Southern fell to the Fighting Illini, 105-195, and to the Redbirds, 143-157.
SIU shocked Illinois (176-135) in 2017. It was the Salukis' first win over a Power-Five opponent since 2012. SIU leads the overall series versus Illinois State, 5-3, and has won three of the last four meetings.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Illinois finished 13th at the Big Ten Championships last spring. Ling Kuhn, the teams lone NCAA Championship competitor, graduated at the conclusion of the season. This season, the Illini hold a 2-1 advantage in dual meets with wins over Indiana State and UIC. Key returners include Kristin Anderson and Aby Olson, who both possess top-10 times in school history.
The Redbirds opened the new season last weekend with a win over Butler (182-97). Reigning MVC Diver of the Year, Caroline Lecoeur, is one of the top returners for Illinois State. All-MVC swimmers Julia Oostman and Katie Tillotson also return for an Illinois State squad that placed fifth at the 2019 MVC Championships.
CONFERENCE RANKINGS
Salukis in the MVC top-five
Sierra Forbord
• 1st - 100-free (52.36)
• 1st - 200-free (1:53.75)
• 3rd - 50-free (24.18)
Laura Carver
• 2nd - 100-breast (1:06.81)
• 2nd - 200-breast (2:22.11)
• 2nd - 400-IM (4:32.05)
• 3rd - 200-IM (2:10.33)
Eden Girloanta
• 2nd - 1,000-free (10:26.56)
• 5th - 500-free (5:08.71)
Rita Naude
• 2nd - 100-fly (57.35)
Sarah Vogt
• 3rd - 100-breast (1:06.95)
Samantha Parsons
• 3rd - 200-breast (2:22.78)
• 4th - 100-breast (1:07.39)
Payton Parman
• 4th - 200-fly (2:08.09)
Abbie Young
• 5th - 200-fly (2:09.61)
LAST TIME OUT
Southern was dominant in its home-pool opener, as they swept Bellarmine (177-84) and MVC opponent Valparaiso (206.5-54.5) The women's team won 13 of 16 events and four Salukis managed to win two or more events.
Laura Carver won three events for the second-straight week, while Eden Girloanta, Deven Speed and Baobao Ji captured first in two events each. Rita Naude and Payton Parman also tallied first-place finishes for SIU.
CONFERENCE HONORS
Baobao Ji and Carver have been recipients of MVC-weekly honors two weeks into the 2019-20 season. Ji tabbed her third-career MVC Diver of the Week accolade after sweeping events on the boards against McKendree. Carver's three-win performance last weekend earned her MVC Swimmer of the Week.
10/8/19 - Baobao Ji - MVC Diver of the Week (3rd of career)
10/15/19 - Laura Carver - MVC Swimmer of the Week (1st of career)
A NEW ERA BEGINS
Geoff Hanson was named head coach of the Saluki swimming and diving program in late May, taking over for 32-year coaching veteran Rick Walker, who retired at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season. Hanson has over 19 years of collegiate coaching experience. He was an assistant coach at Arizona and Wisconsin and most recently had head coaching stints at Western State Colorado and Colorado Mesa. Hanson has mentored five Olympic finalists and four individual NCAA National Champions since joining the coaching ranks.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
For the latest updates on the Salukis against Illinois and Illinois, follow live results on the Meet Mobile app. Stay social for additional updates by following the team on Twitter @SIU_SwimDive, on Instagram @SIUSwimAndDive and on Facebook at Saluki Swimming and Diving.
THOUGHTS FROM COACH HANSON
On opportunity to face Illinois and Illinois State…
I think it is a great opportunity for us to go to a Big Ten school and show where we are at this point in the season. We want to win our dual meets, so we plan to go in there with our full lineup. We have few athletes dealing with sickness and injuries, but we are going to give everything we have with our available swimmers and divers.
On this being the biggest test of the season…
On paper, they are the two best women's teams we will see so far. Both Illinois and Illinois State beat us last year at home, so we want to redeem ourselves and perform better.
On confidence of team after 3-0 start to the season…
I think they are feeling good about where they are at. We have to take it one meet at a time, but as soon as our meet on Friday finished, we started thinking about Illinois and Illinois State. Our training has not changed, but we have been practicing hard in preparation for this next test. We will really start dialing in once we get on the bus for Illinois.
HISTORY AGAINST ILLINOIS & ILLINOIS STATE
The Saluki women have faced Illinois and Illinois State in tri-meet action the last five seasons. In the most recent matchup, Southern fell to the Fighting Illini, 105-195, and to the Redbirds, 143-157.
SIU shocked Illinois (176-135) in 2017. It was the Salukis' first win over a Power-Five opponent since 2012. SIU leads the overall series versus Illinois State, 5-3, and has won three of the last four meetings.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Illinois finished 13th at the Big Ten Championships last spring. Ling Kuhn, the teams lone NCAA Championship competitor, graduated at the conclusion of the season. This season, the Illini hold a 2-1 advantage in dual meets with wins over Indiana State and UIC. Key returners include Kristin Anderson and Aby Olson, who both possess top-10 times in school history.
The Redbirds opened the new season last weekend with a win over Butler (182-97). Reigning MVC Diver of the Year, Caroline Lecoeur, is one of the top returners for Illinois State. All-MVC swimmers Julia Oostman and Katie Tillotson also return for an Illinois State squad that placed fifth at the 2019 MVC Championships.
CONFERENCE RANKINGS
Salukis in the MVC top-five
Sierra Forbord
• 1st - 100-free (52.36)
• 1st - 200-free (1:53.75)
• 3rd - 50-free (24.18)
Laura Carver
• 2nd - 100-breast (1:06.81)
• 2nd - 200-breast (2:22.11)
• 2nd - 400-IM (4:32.05)
• 3rd - 200-IM (2:10.33)
Eden Girloanta
• 2nd - 1,000-free (10:26.56)
• 5th - 500-free (5:08.71)
Rita Naude
• 2nd - 100-fly (57.35)
Sarah Vogt
• 3rd - 100-breast (1:06.95)
Samantha Parsons
• 3rd - 200-breast (2:22.78)
• 4th - 100-breast (1:07.39)
Payton Parman
• 4th - 200-fly (2:08.09)
Abbie Young
• 5th - 200-fly (2:09.61)
LAST TIME OUT
Southern was dominant in its home-pool opener, as they swept Bellarmine (177-84) and MVC opponent Valparaiso (206.5-54.5) The women's team won 13 of 16 events and four Salukis managed to win two or more events.
Laura Carver won three events for the second-straight week, while Eden Girloanta, Deven Speed and Baobao Ji captured first in two events each. Rita Naude and Payton Parman also tallied first-place finishes for SIU.
CONFERENCE HONORS
Baobao Ji and Carver have been recipients of MVC-weekly honors two weeks into the 2019-20 season. Ji tabbed her third-career MVC Diver of the Week accolade after sweeping events on the boards against McKendree. Carver's three-win performance last weekend earned her MVC Swimmer of the Week.
10/8/19 - Baobao Ji - MVC Diver of the Week (3rd of career)
10/15/19 - Laura Carver - MVC Swimmer of the Week (1st of career)
A NEW ERA BEGINS
Geoff Hanson was named head coach of the Saluki swimming and diving program in late May, taking over for 32-year coaching veteran Rick Walker, who retired at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season. Hanson has over 19 years of collegiate coaching experience. He was an assistant coach at Arizona and Wisconsin and most recently had head coaching stints at Western State Colorado and Colorado Mesa. Hanson has mentored five Olympic finalists and four individual NCAA National Champions since joining the coaching ranks.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
For the latest updates on the Salukis against Illinois and Illinois, follow live results on the Meet Mobile app. Stay social for additional updates by following the team on Twitter @SIU_SwimDive, on Instagram @SIUSwimAndDive and on Facebook at Saluki Swimming and Diving.
Players Mentioned
Breast/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Fly/Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Freestyle
/ Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
Back/Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Fly/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast/IM
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