Courtesy: Missouri Valley Conference
ST. LOUIS – Missouri State has been unanimously selected as the favorite to take home the Missouri Valley Conference women’s swimming and diving title in a vote by the league’s eight head coaches.
The Bears took home the crown at the 2020 championship, capturing their fourth straight title and the program’s 16th since the 2002-03 season. Missouri State, under the leadership of 10th-year head coach Dave Collins, brings back eight first-team and three honorable mention All-MVC honorees.
Libby Howell and Anna Miller highlight the teams returners, each picking up multiple first-place finishes at the 2020 championship. Howell, a three-time champion last year took top honors in the distance freestyle events, and currently holds the league’s 200 freestyle relay record (1:47.31). Miller placed first in the 50 freestyle, while breaking a nine year old record (22.51) by .03 seconds. She also took the top spot in the 100 butterfly.
Southern Illinois, led by head coach Geoff Hanson, captured 52 points to finish second in the poll. The Salukis squad will be young this year, after losing 13 seniors from the 2019-20 team. SIU will feature 20 newcomers, including 17 freshmen and three transfers. Returning for the team is The Valley’s Elite 17 Award recipient, Sierra Forbord and the 2020 MVC Freshman of the Year, Lucia Romero.
Collecting 47 points, Indiana State comes in at third. The Sycamores have 24 student-athletes returning, including three All-MVC swimmers, Marlene Pavlu Lewin, Sarah Moreau and Kaimi Matsumoto. The team also brings back seven honorable mention finishers from last season. Indiana State will also add 10 newcomers to the roster as head coach Josh Christensen enters his third season with the team.
Illinois State’s 40 points earned a fourth-place spot in the poll. The Redbirds return a solid group of all-conference performers, including first team All-MVC selection Haley Rivera and honorable mention swimmers Emily Keebler, Julie Kolar and Madyson Morse. In the diving well, ISU will be led by 2019 Diver of the Year and 2020 CSCAA All-American Caroline Lecoeur.
UNI tallied 36 points in the poll to finish in fifth. The Panther returners include a trio of honorable mention All-MVC finishers, Sarah Walpole, Mia Savicevic and Anna Penning. Penning earned Freshman Diver of the Year honors at the 2020 championship event. UNI is led by fourth-year head coach Nick Lakin.
Totaling 21 points, Little Rock finished sixth in the vote. The Trojans are led by 13th-year head coach Amy Burgess, and bring back 20 student-athletes from last year, while adding 12 freshman. The key returners include honorable mention All-MVC finishers Carolyn Godwin, Annya Grom and Fer Moussier.
Coming in seventh is Evansville with 18 points. The Aces are led by second-year head coach Stuart Wilson. This year’s team brings back all five of their 2020 honorable mention All-MVC finishers, including Sonsoles Aguayo, Natalie Gerard, Sarah Jahns, Fae-Siri Keighley, Sage Moore.
Valparaiso rounds out the poll with 10 points. The Crusaders are under the leadership of second-year head coach Maggie Kroemer.
The first weekly Swimming & Diving release will be posted on January 20. Southern Illinois will host the 2021 Missouri Valley Conference Championships April 14-16 in Carbondale, Illinois.