The Missouri Valley Conference started the 2024-25 swimming and diving season. The Valley had four teams compete across men and womens. Evansville, Little Rock, and Valparaiso competed for the women while Evansville, Miami, and Valparaiso competed for the men.
The Valley will have 8 women's teams competing this upcoming week with six of them starting their season. The men's teams will have five teams competing with three of them starting their season.
Patrik Vilbergsson picked up a victory in the 200-yard backstroke to lead the Purple Aces men at the season-opening Butler Double Dual. Taking on foes from Xavier, Saint Louis, and Butler, Vilbergsson took the victory with a time of 1:54.00. He defeated teammate Logan Tenison by just over one second. He was also part of the 400-yard medley relay team that took third place with a time of 3:28.01.
Jaelle Carlson had an incredible meet at the Sam Freas Invite where she led the way, taking the first win for the Trojans in the 50 freestyle being the only swimmer to go sub 24. She helped the relays to first place finishes across the meet. She took second in the 100 butterfly going sub 58 in a 57.22. Her outstanding achievements not only highlighted her individual talent but also the entire Trojan team.
Evansville’s appearance at the Butler Double Dual saw Madison Rollett sweep both the 1 and 3-meter dives. In the 1-meter, she posted a score of 242.33. Her total was over 36 points better than her nearest competition. She was equally impressive in the 3-meter, recording a 228.38 with the runner-up posting a 195.75.
Carson Parker showcased his ability in the sprints for Valpo in his collegiate debut last Friday at Cleveland State. Parker paced the Beacons in both the 100 free (49.32) and the 50 free (22.22), placing third and fourth overall in those events, respectively. He also swam an anchor leg of 21.25 in the 200 medley relay, second-fastest of the seven anchor swimmers.
Beatriz made a remarkable debut as a Trojan at her first swim meet, achieving personal bests in every backstroke event. She secured a commanding second place in the 100 backstroke with a time of 57.60 and followed up with a strong third place in the 200 backstroke at 2:07.8, making her the fastest Trojan in both events. Her outstanding performances not only showcased her talent but also set an exciting tone for the season ahead.