Friday, April 16
Carbondale, Ill.
ALL DAY
Southern Illinois University
vs
MVC Championships (Women)
Salukis Swim to Second at 2021 MVC Championships
04/16/2021 | 9:30:00 | Swimming & Diving
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois University women's swimming and diving team finished in second place at the 2021 Missouri Valley Conference Championship, with 548.5 team tallied points. They were just behind reigning champion, Missouri State, who took home gold with 929.5 points, as Indiana State followed behind SIU with 475.5. The Salukis broke two more school and pool records in the sixth session of the three-day event.
The 2021 MVC Freshman Diver of the Year, Ally Brown, took home a fourth place finish on the three-meter board to start off the finals evening. The Colorado native earned her new personal record and season best with 240.15 off the board.
The women of the 1650-freestyle (mile) kicked off the evening on Friday, junior distancer Eden Girloanta was the lone Saluki in the third heat, finishing 17:16.08.
In a battle on backstroke, junior Deven Speed was the only member from SIU in the "A" final, hitting the wall at 2:03.17 for a seventh place finish. SIU's 200-backstroke record holder, sophomore Lucia Romero, garnered the top spot in the "B" final, clocking in at 2:00.99.
Senior Sierra Forbord, who owned the school record this year, placed silver in the 100-freestyle battle between Missouri State's Anna Miller. The senior hit the wall at 50.06, repeating her previous record time in the second individual event of the night. Freshman Gaby Jenkins showed her growth in the pool, placing eighth with 52.44 in the final for two Salukis on the board.
In a new school record she had beaten throughout the season, freshman Mima Zaborska completed her opening 2021 campaign in the 200-breaststroke with gold on the podium and a new pool and Saluki record of 12:12.96. Freshman Melanie Scheiblein, who battled Zaborska in practice and dual meets, dropped her preliminaries time by nearly a minute to clock in at 2:21.48 to finish eighth.
Senior Abigail Young, who swam her last collegiate event of her career, finished in seventh-place for SIU in the 200-butterfly event. The Indiana native recorded a 2:06.82 time in the pool, followed by teammate Anna Stephan who finished eighth (2:08.05).
The Salukis showed strength in relays, taking second in the final event of the season, the 400-freestyle relay and made a new school record, with Forbord's leadoff 100-freestyle leg (49.97). The squad of Forbord, Jenkins, Abbey Desmet, and Romero hit the wall of Shea Natatorium in 3:24.97.
In awards, Mima Zaborska walked away with MVC Freshman Swimmer of the Year, while herself, Lucia Romero, and Sierra Forbord were named All-MVC First Time by the coaches and conference at the end of the meet. Five freshman were named honorable mentions: Ally Brown, Nicole Horton, Gaby Jenkins, Fernanda Sanchez, and Melanie Schieblein, while Abbey Desmet, Deven Speed, Anna Stephan, Imogen Watson, and Abigail Young were also named to the list.
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FINAL TEAM SCORES
Missouri State - 929.5
Southern Illinois - 548.5
Indiana State - 475.5
Illinois State - 444
Northern Iowa - 344
Evansville - 328.5
Little Rock - 318
Valparaiso - 117
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The 2021 MVC Freshman Diver of the Year, Ally Brown, took home a fourth place finish on the three-meter board to start off the finals evening. The Colorado native earned her new personal record and season best with 240.15 off the board.
The women of the 1650-freestyle (mile) kicked off the evening on Friday, junior distancer Eden Girloanta was the lone Saluki in the third heat, finishing 17:16.08.
In a battle on backstroke, junior Deven Speed was the only member from SIU in the "A" final, hitting the wall at 2:03.17 for a seventh place finish. SIU's 200-backstroke record holder, sophomore Lucia Romero, garnered the top spot in the "B" final, clocking in at 2:00.99.
Senior Sierra Forbord, who owned the school record this year, placed silver in the 100-freestyle battle between Missouri State's Anna Miller. The senior hit the wall at 50.06, repeating her previous record time in the second individual event of the night. Freshman Gaby Jenkins showed her growth in the pool, placing eighth with 52.44 in the final for two Salukis on the board.
In a new school record she had beaten throughout the season, freshman Mima Zaborska completed her opening 2021 campaign in the 200-breaststroke with gold on the podium and a new pool and Saluki record of 12:12.96. Freshman Melanie Scheiblein, who battled Zaborska in practice and dual meets, dropped her preliminaries time by nearly a minute to clock in at 2:21.48 to finish eighth.
Senior Abigail Young, who swam her last collegiate event of her career, finished in seventh-place for SIU in the 200-butterfly event. The Indiana native recorded a 2:06.82 time in the pool, followed by teammate Anna Stephan who finished eighth (2:08.05).
The Salukis showed strength in relays, taking second in the final event of the season, the 400-freestyle relay and made a new school record, with Forbord's leadoff 100-freestyle leg (49.97). The squad of Forbord, Jenkins, Abbey Desmet, and Romero hit the wall of Shea Natatorium in 3:24.97.
In awards, Mima Zaborska walked away with MVC Freshman Swimmer of the Year, while herself, Lucia Romero, and Sierra Forbord were named All-MVC First Time by the coaches and conference at the end of the meet. Five freshman were named honorable mentions: Ally Brown, Nicole Horton, Gaby Jenkins, Fernanda Sanchez, and Melanie Schieblein, while Abbey Desmet, Deven Speed, Anna Stephan, Imogen Watson, and Abigail Young were also named to the list.
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FINAL TEAM SCORES
Missouri State - 929.5
Southern Illinois - 548.5
Indiana State - 475.5
Illinois State - 444
Northern Iowa - 344
Evansville - 328.5
Little Rock - 318
Valparaiso - 117
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Players Mentioned
Dive
/ Swimming & Diving
Freestyle
/ Swimming & Diving
Fly/Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Freestyle
/ Swimming & Diving
Freestyle
/ Swimming & Diving
Back/Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Back/Free/Fly
/ Swimming & Diving
IM/Breast
/ Swimming & Diving
Backstroke
/ Swimming & Diving
Free/Fly
/ Swimming & Diving
Back/Fly
/ Swimming & Diving
Fly/Free
/ Swimming & Diving
IM/Breast
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