The Missouri Valley Conference sponsors men's swimming and diving for the first time since 2001-02. The Valley has five current member institutions that sponsor men’s swimming and diving in Evansville, UIC, Missouri State, Southern Illinois and Valparaiso. The league welcomes Ball State and Miami as affiliate members to bring the field to seven members in 2024-25.
Miami has been tabbed as league favorites in the first MVC men's swimming and diving coaches' preseason poll with 47 points and six first-place votes. Missouri State received 42 points and one first-place vote to sit in second place behind the RedHawks. Southern Illinois earned 37 points to earn the final top-three spot. UIC (26 points), Ball State (21 points), Evansville (14 points) and Valparaiso (9 points) round out the men’s preseason poll.
Missouri State has been tabbed as the league favorite on the women’s side in the annual coaches' preseason poll, receiving 78 points and six first-place votes. Indiana State follows closely behind with 74 points and three first-place votes. Southern Illinois (63 points), Illinois State (53 points) and Little Rock (40 points) join the Bears and the Sycamores in the top half of the poll. UNI (37 points), UIC (33 points), Evansville (17 points) and Valparaiso (10 points) round out the preseason poll results.
ABOUT THE TEAMS
Ball State
The Ball State men’s swimming & diving program enters its first year as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference looking to continue making waves under the guidance of seventh-year head coach J. Agnew. Last season, the Cardinals won medals in seven events and set 10 program records in its final Mid-American Conference Championships. Two of BSU’s four individual record setters from the meet return for the 2024-25 campaign, as junior Jacob Siewers (200 free / 1:37.05) and sophomore Malcolm Slater (500 free / 4:28.38) look to take the MVC by storm. Siewers was also a member of three record-setting relays last season, while Slater had a hand in one. Senior Ethan Pheifer also returns after swimming on three record-setting relays at last season’s league championships, as does senior Michael Mitsynskyy who was on one. In the diving well, the Cardinals return two-time NCAA Zone C Diving Championship qualifier junior Porter Brovont.
Evansville
The Aces have 17 returners to the men's side including sophomore Boris Tavrovsky who placed third overall in the men's 200-Yard Backstroke in the 2024 MAC Championship. Tavrovsky went below the previous record of 1:47.14 in the preliminary round with times of 1:46.00 and 1:46.16 respectively. The women's side has 10 returners including Madison Rollett who placed second in the women's three-meter diving competition at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship. Madison also earned all-Missouri Valley Conference first-team honors.
UIC
After a strong 2023-24 season, UIC is returning a slew of top performers for the upcoming year. Leading the way on the diving board is junior Harrison Nolan, who won both diving events at the Mid-American Conference Championship meet. For the women’s, senior Ciara McCliment returns after winning her second consecutive three-meter diving event at the MVC Championship Meet in Evansville back in February. In between the swimming lanes, senior Kendra Preski had a strong showing in postseason competition, earning top three finishes in the 200 butterfly, 200 backstroke and third in the 200 freestyle in the MVC Championship Meet. Graduate student Rafe Dolan Peterson finished his first season at UIC with a second-place finish at the CSCAA National Invitational in the 100 freestyle with a time of 43.13 seconds, breaking a 13-year old school record. That followed earning All-MAC First Team honors in the conference championship meet weeks prior.
Illinois State
The ISU Swim & Dive team will return a veteran group which includes seniors Emma Feltzer, Sydney Hoff, Mia Snow, Lauren Wisdom, Lauren Hervey and fifth year Cassidy Carey. The Redbirds also bring in Lindenwood transfers Selena Corona and Adi Luker. A season ago, Feltzer won the 100 free to claim the Missouri Conference Championship with a school record time of 49.33. Feltzer also took third in the 50 free which ranks second in school history. Mia Snow finished with MVC All-Conference Honors and ranks second in school history in the 100 fly (25.64). Wisdom ranks third in program history in the 100 free (set the record at Indiana State), while also earning MVC Scholar-Athlete Team Honors. Hervey recorded a personal best at last year’s MVC Championships in the 100 free with a time of 53.32. First Year Coach Riley Hilbrandt looks forward to this year’s group “ISU Swim & Dive has always had consistency. This season, staying consistent will be key. I am excited for this team to be a part of a competitive conference such as The Valley”, Hilbrandt said.
Indiana State
Indiana State returns the majority of the roster from the 2023-24 season, including reigning Missouri Valley Freshman of the Year in Claire Parsons as the Sycamores look ahead to the upcoming year. The Sycamores return 12 athletes who earned All-Conference recognition from the the 2024 MVC Championships including Erin Cummins (500 Free), Parsons (500 Free & 1650 Free), Alexandria Cotter (200 IM & 400 IM), and Kaleigh Kelley (100 Fly) after setting 11 new school records over the conference meet last season. Additional key returners to the squad include Dorotea Bukvic, Alexa Szadorski, Zoe Smith, Chloe Farro, Raz Harel, Ali Pearson, Haley Halsall, and Olivia DiRuzza, as the Sycamores look forward in their push to take the next step after finishing runner-up at both the 2022 and 2023 MVC Championships.
Little Rock
The 2024-25 season holds great promise for the Trojans. We are excited to welcome back Gillian Boggs for her senior year after her record-breaking performance last season. Additionally, we are proud to retain all our relay members from last year, notably Olivia Elgin, Jaelle Carlson, and Lauren Pieniazkiewicz, along with our two standout fifth-year returnees, Gabriella O'Neil and Cheryl Poulsen. Their contributions will be crucial for both our relay teams and individual events.
We are also thrilled to have Kyra Apodaca returning for her final year on the boards following her successful season. Competing at the House of Champions will provide an important benchmark as we face several MVC teams in preparation for the challenges ahead. We are focused and determined to make a strong impact this season.
Miami
Miami Swimming and Diving head coach Samantha Pitter enters her first year at the helm of the program. Pitter welcomes three new coaches, which include Charlie Retter, who will serve as the RedHawks' diving coach, while Flynn Crisci and Kevin Menke join the program as assistant swimming coaches. The Red and White are preparing for their first year in the Missouri Valley Conference for the 2024-25 season. The men’s schedule is highlighted with competitions against Michigan, Notre Dame, Northwestern and Xavier. This past March, Miami men's swimming and diving captured its 12th overall and fourth consecutive MAC (Mid-American Conference) Championship.
Henju Duvenage leads the returners as he is competing in his fifth year with the RedHawks this season. Duvenhage is a four-time First-Team All-MAC and three-time Academic All-MAC athlete. As a freshman, he was named MAC Freshman Swimmer of the Year and also earned MAC Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Year. He was most recently recognized as the Most Outstanding Senior for his performance during the MAC Championships in 2024.Henju Duvenhage returns for his fifth season after earning MAC Outstanding Senior of the Year, winning the 100 backstroke, 100 butterfly and 200 IM titles at the MAC Championships. He produced NCAA B cut times in all three events at the MAC meet, including setting a pair of pool records. Duvenhage was recognized as First-Team All-MAC and Academic All-MAC and helped lead the RedHawk men to a fourth consecutive MAC championship.
Missouri State
Missouri State women’s & diving returns 12 of its 17 MVC first-team and honorable selections from last season: Lana Janson, Samantha Roemer, Cabrini Johnson, Sophia Coleta, Lindsey Hervey, Payton Smith, Caitlyn Friebe, Ainsley Jenkins, Lauren Chaney, Anika Lam, Olivia Sala, Hadleigh Henslee and Evie Kolb. The men’s team returns 2024 MAC first-team selections Brunno Suzuki-Tomiyama and Jack Grandy as well as second-team selections Luigi Maciel da Silva and Reese Hodgins.
Southern Illinois
The Southern Illinois Swimming and Diving team heads into the 2024-2025 season after a historic finish last season. On the women’s side, Celia Pulido will be returning for her senior season. Pulido was named the MVC Swimmer of the Year last season at conference. Pulido made her NCAA Women’s Championship and Olympic debut where she finished as an All-American in the 100 backstroke, All-American Honorable Mention in the 200 backstroke and finished 21st overall for Mexico in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Southern Illinois Women’s team finished third in the MVC last season and went undefeated against MVC opponents in the regular season.
The men’s team returns to the MVC after a third place finish at the 2024 MAC Championship. Alex Santiago returns for his senior season after making his NCAA Men’s Championship debut, Santiago was also named the Most Outstanding Swimmer at the MAC Championship. Another key returner Benedek Andor, in his freshman campaign he was named the MAC Freshman Swimmer of the Year.
UNI
Northern Iowa also returns all four swimmers from its school record setting 200-yard freestyle relay team that topped the podium at the 2024 MVC Championships in Abby Lear, Waren Graeve, Morgan Meyer and Larsen. The Panthers previously won the relay event in back-to-back years at the conference meet in 2016 and 2017. In the diving well, the Panthers return a solid core of veteran divers, including All-MVC Honorable Mention performer Trista Thompson, who qualified and competed at last year’s NCAA Diving Zones. Other key returners in diving include Erica Peters, Abby Hutchins, Hannah Taylor, Maddie Moran and Avery Hogan, with freshman Natalie Devoll joining the roster as well.
Other key returners in swimming include 2024 Paralympic medalist Olivia Chambers, Sydney Aird, Hallory Domnick, Ema Lavigne, Hannah Nedder, Meghan Pallett, Cali Prochaska and Abby Steward. UNI also adds 11 new faces to the program, including swimmers Abigail Bankhurst, Crystal Benjamin, Elyse Brayton, Aspen Cole, Natalie Harris, Molly Johnson, Sam Oeltjen, Josie Parton, Peyton Pasqualicchio, and Paige Seehawer.
Valpariso
Valpo returns 20 men's swimmers and 21 women's swimmers from last season for the 2024-25 campaign, while adding six freshmen on the men's side and five newcomers on the women's side. Highlighting the men's returnees is junior Jackson Oostman, who holds three individual school records and ranks second in program history in three other events. On the women's side, the strong group of returnees includes sophomore Kailyn Benoit, who qualified for the finals at the MVC Championships in the 200 fly last year, led the team in event wins and points scored and appeared five times on the program's all-time top-10 charts.