Wednesday, February 16
Iowa City, IA
All Day
Southern Illinois University
at
MVC Championship
Salukis Set for MVC Championships in Iowa City
02/15/2022 | 4:00:00 | Swimming & Diving
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The 2021 runner-up Southern Illinois Salukis women's swimming and diving program is set to compete at this year's MVC Swimming and Diving Championship hosted by Northern Iowa at the CRWC Natatorium in Iowa City, Iowa. The meet starts Wednesday evening and runs through Saturday starting at 6pm for the final session. A live stream and live results via Meet Mobile will be available for each session.
Event Schedule (PDF) | Live Stream | Live Results
CHAMPIONSHIPÂ HISTORY
The Salukis have been a top threat in the Valley since joining in 1994. Southern has claimed the conference title nine times and most recently won it all in 2016. The Salukis won the MVC Championships five-straight years from 1997-2001. Southern has also placed runner-up at the championship-event 12 times, which includes the last five seasons. SIU has never finished beyond third place in its 27-year span in the MVC.Â
TOP DAWGS
The Salukis see nine swimmers and two divers with top-five placements in the Valley. Freshman Celia Pulido ranks first in the MVC in three events, while breaking three school records, two MVC records, and numerous pool records in her newcomer college career. Junior Lucia Romero follows suit of Pulido, ranking second in the 100-back, with freshman Jules Atkinson pulling off a second place mark in the 200-fly at 2:01.88 going into the weekend. SIU sees five freshman within the top-five ranks, in comparison to three last season.
Celia Pulido
WEEKLY HONORS
Coming back from the delayed season in 2021, the Salukis grabbed seven weekly conference honors during the regular meet season. Freshman newcomer Celia Pulido took home the first weekly honor for SIU of the season, earning her first career "three-peat" and breaking the 200-back school record in her first collegiate meet. Senior Laura Mircea is the first Saluki diver to earn three weekly honors in a season since 2017-18. The Canadian saw her career best on both one-meter and three-meter, qualifying for NCAA Zones. Breaststrokers Ali Robertson and Melanie Scheiblein saw the league's recognition in their performances in November, garnering first place titles in the 100- and 200-breaststroke in regular season. And to wrap it up in the school, Mexico-native Fernanda Sanchez saw her first career recognition for her "three-peat" performance at Little Rock in the 200- and 500-free, and 200-IM.
10/5/21 — Celia Pulido — MVC Swimmer of the Week (1st of career)
10/13/21 — Laura Mircea — MVC Diver of the Week (1st of career)
11/2/21 — Ali Robertson — MVC Swimmer of the Week (1st of career)
11/16/21 — Melanie Scheiblein — MVC Swimmer of the Week (1st of career)
11/16/21 — Laura Mircea — MVC Diver of the Week (2nd of career)
1/25/22 — Fernanda Sanchez — MVC Swimmer of the Week (1st of career)
1/25/22 — Laura Mircea — MVC Diver of the Week (3rd of career)
BREAKING RECORDS
The Salukis saw four broken school records during the 2021-22 season. Freshman Celia Pulido owns two individually: finding NCAA "B" cut times in the 100- (52.46) and 200-back (1:54.26) at the A3 Performance Invite along with the Shea Natatorium pool record. The Mexico native was also a part of the quartet of Salukis in the record-breaking 400-medley and 400-free relays. Sophomore Mima Zaborska, freshman Jasmine Rau, and senior Sierra Forbord were along for the 3:41.26 medley during the invitational, while sophomore Nicole Horton and junior Lucia Romero joined Pulido and Forbord in the 400-free, clocking in at 3:23.26.
PRE-CHAMPIONSHIP POLL
SIU was projected to finish second in the MVC pre-championship coaches poll. Missouri State, the winner of the past five championships, was picked first with seven first-place votes. Â
1. Missouri State (7) – 63
2. Southern Illinois (1) – 56
3. Indiana State – 48
4. Illinois State – 40
5. Northern Iowa – 33
6. Little Rock – 21
7. Evansville – 18
8. Valparaiso – 9
MVC HONORS
The Salukis return two individuals who earned All-MVC First-Team honors: fifth-year Forbord and sophomore Romero, while Abbey Desmet, Deven Speed, Melanie Scheiblein, and Fernanda Sanchez nabbed All-MVC Second Team in 2021.
SWIMMING IN THE VALLEY
The Salukis finished with a perfect 6-0 record in dual, tri, and invitational meets against MVC competition (9-2 overall). SIU closed the season with three-straight meet victories, and the first place prize at the A3 Performance Invitation in November. The women's team also handed Missouri State a loss in dual competition, the first time since 2016 the Salukis had topped the Bears in the regular season.
10/1-2/22 - Missouri State - W: 187-166
10/29/21 - Illinois State - W: 204-95
11/11-13/21 - Valparaiso (A3 Invite) - W: 1353-220
11/11-13/21 - Evansville (A3 Invite) - W: 1353-728
1/21/22 - Little Rock - W: 171-87
1/22/22 - Indiana State - W: 185-115
Â
Event Schedule (PDF) | Live Stream | Live Results
CHAMPIONSHIPÂ HISTORY
The Salukis have been a top threat in the Valley since joining in 1994. Southern has claimed the conference title nine times and most recently won it all in 2016. The Salukis won the MVC Championships five-straight years from 1997-2001. Southern has also placed runner-up at the championship-event 12 times, which includes the last five seasons. SIU has never finished beyond third place in its 27-year span in the MVC.Â
TOP DAWGS
The Salukis see nine swimmers and two divers with top-five placements in the Valley. Freshman Celia Pulido ranks first in the MVC in three events, while breaking three school records, two MVC records, and numerous pool records in her newcomer college career. Junior Lucia Romero follows suit of Pulido, ranking second in the 100-back, with freshman Jules Atkinson pulling off a second place mark in the 200-fly at 2:01.88 going into the weekend. SIU sees five freshman within the top-five ranks, in comparison to three last season.
Celia Pulido
- 1st - 100-Back (52.46)
- 1st - 200-Back (1:54.26)
- 1st - 200-IM (2:02.35)
- 4th - 100-Free (50.40)
- 3rd - 200-Free (1:49.69)
- 3rd - 500-Free (4:57.62)
- 5th - 1000-Free (10:16.38)
- 2nd - 100-Back (54.78)
- 4th - 200-Back (2:00.00)
- 3rd - 100-Breast (1:03.37)
- 3rd - 200-Breast (2:17.00)
- 4th - 100-Breast (1:03.42)
- 4th - 200-Breast (2:17.76)
- 4th - 100-Fly (55.45)
- 2nd - 200-Fly (2:01.88)
- 3rd - 1M Dive (269.03)
- 4th - 1M Dive (268.43)
WEEKLY HONORS
Coming back from the delayed season in 2021, the Salukis grabbed seven weekly conference honors during the regular meet season. Freshman newcomer Celia Pulido took home the first weekly honor for SIU of the season, earning her first career "three-peat" and breaking the 200-back school record in her first collegiate meet. Senior Laura Mircea is the first Saluki diver to earn three weekly honors in a season since 2017-18. The Canadian saw her career best on both one-meter and three-meter, qualifying for NCAA Zones. Breaststrokers Ali Robertson and Melanie Scheiblein saw the league's recognition in their performances in November, garnering first place titles in the 100- and 200-breaststroke in regular season. And to wrap it up in the school, Mexico-native Fernanda Sanchez saw her first career recognition for her "three-peat" performance at Little Rock in the 200- and 500-free, and 200-IM.
10/5/21 — Celia Pulido — MVC Swimmer of the Week (1st of career)
10/13/21 — Laura Mircea — MVC Diver of the Week (1st of career)
11/2/21 — Ali Robertson — MVC Swimmer of the Week (1st of career)
11/16/21 — Melanie Scheiblein — MVC Swimmer of the Week (1st of career)
11/16/21 — Laura Mircea — MVC Diver of the Week (2nd of career)
1/25/22 — Fernanda Sanchez — MVC Swimmer of the Week (1st of career)
1/25/22 — Laura Mircea — MVC Diver of the Week (3rd of career)
BREAKING RECORDS
The Salukis saw four broken school records during the 2021-22 season. Freshman Celia Pulido owns two individually: finding NCAA "B" cut times in the 100- (52.46) and 200-back (1:54.26) at the A3 Performance Invite along with the Shea Natatorium pool record. The Mexico native was also a part of the quartet of Salukis in the record-breaking 400-medley and 400-free relays. Sophomore Mima Zaborska, freshman Jasmine Rau, and senior Sierra Forbord were along for the 3:41.26 medley during the invitational, while sophomore Nicole Horton and junior Lucia Romero joined Pulido and Forbord in the 400-free, clocking in at 3:23.26.
PRE-CHAMPIONSHIP POLL
SIU was projected to finish second in the MVC pre-championship coaches poll. Missouri State, the winner of the past five championships, was picked first with seven first-place votes. Â
1. Missouri State (7) – 63
2. Southern Illinois (1) – 56
3. Indiana State – 48
4. Illinois State – 40
5. Northern Iowa – 33
6. Little Rock – 21
7. Evansville – 18
8. Valparaiso – 9
MVC HONORS
The Salukis return two individuals who earned All-MVC First-Team honors: fifth-year Forbord and sophomore Romero, while Abbey Desmet, Deven Speed, Melanie Scheiblein, and Fernanda Sanchez nabbed All-MVC Second Team in 2021.
SWIMMING IN THE VALLEY
The Salukis finished with a perfect 6-0 record in dual, tri, and invitational meets against MVC competition (9-2 overall). SIU closed the season with three-straight meet victories, and the first place prize at the A3 Performance Invitation in November. The women's team also handed Missouri State a loss in dual competition, the first time since 2016 the Salukis had topped the Bears in the regular season.
10/1-2/22 - Missouri State - W: 187-166
10/29/21 - Illinois State - W: 204-95
11/11-13/21 - Valparaiso (A3 Invite) - W: 1353-220
11/11-13/21 - Evansville (A3 Invite) - W: 1353-728
1/21/22 - Little Rock - W: 171-87
1/22/22 - Indiana State - W: 185-115
Â
FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
For all things Saluki Swimming and Diving, be sure to follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
Fly/IM
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Freestyle
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Fly/Free
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Fly/Free
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Freestyle
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Freestyle
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Breast/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Diving
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Dive
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Back/Fly
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Free/Fly
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Breast/Free/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Back/Free/Fly
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Back/Free/Fly
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IM/Breast
/ Swimming & Diving
Backstroke
/ Swimming & Diving
IM/Breast
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