Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Women's team picked to finish fourth at MVC Championships
02/16/2019 | 11:31:00 | Swimming & Diving
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The Southern Illinois women's swimming and diving team was picked fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference pre-championship poll.
All eight Valley coaches selected Missouri State to finish first at the 2019 MVC Championships. The Salukis have finished second to the Bears the past two championships. Projected to finish runner-up to Missouri State was Northern Iowa with 53 points and Indiana State was selected third with 46 points.
This season, Southern has swam in dual-meet action against five of their seven MVC opponents. They have came away with victories against Arkansas-Little Rock (174.5-122.5) and Evansville (143-100) in home meets at Shea Natatorium.
In the conference ranks, Beibei Ji is first in the both diving events with top marks of 302.02 in the one-meter dive and 335.25 in the three-meter dive. Second to Beibei in both events is her sister and fellow teammate Baobao Ji, who holds scores of 300.89 in the one-meter and 316.05 in the three-meter.
Saluki swimmers Samantha Parsons and Emma Brazeau head into conferences with top-three MVC marks in the 200-yard breaststroke as well. Parsons, the SIU record holder in the 200-breast, possesses the second-fastest time in the event this season with a time of 2:16.84 and Brazeau is right behind in third with a time of 2:18.12.
SIU returns 11 athletes that earned All-MVC honors at last years championships, including Baobao, Beibei and Parsons who were each named to the first team. Seniors Brazeau, Jordan Ries and Audrey Snyder are also among the 11 returning swimmers and the trio has been All-MVC the past three years.
This will be head coach Rick Walker's final time coaching the SIU women's team at conferences, as he announced his plans to retire at the conclusion of the season. He most recently led the women's team to a Valley Championship in 2016.
The MVC Championships will be hosted by Missouri State and take place in Columbia, Mo. from Feb. 20 to Feb. 23.
Full Results
1. Missouri State - 64 (8)
2. Northern Iowa - 53
3. Indiana State - 46
4. Southern Illinois - 41
5. Illinois State - 36
6. Little Rock - 22
7. Evansville - 18
8. Valparaiso - 8
Players Mentioned
