SCORES
RESULTS
(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 20) – The McKendree University men's and women's swimming & diving teams are off to a hot start after hosting their first home meet in program history. The men's team defeated Saint Louis University by a score of 166 – 122, and Maryville University by a score of 228 – 29. The women's team defeated Maryville University by a score of 189 – 59, to earn the program's first victory, but fell in a close matchup with Saint Louis University by a score of 173 – 123.
The McKendree squads amassed 22 first place victories in just 32 events. The women's team took home eight out of 14 first place finishes in individual events. The women also took first in one of two relay events. The men's team earned 13 first place finishes, including wins in both relay events.
Men's Swimming & Diving
McKendree: 166.00 -- Saint Louis: 122.00
McKendree: 228.00 – Maryville: 29.00
The Bearcats relay team of junior
Daniel Buijs (Amersfoot, Netherlands), sophomore
Matthew Meals (McKinney, TX/McKinney Boyd High School), sophomore
Matija Pucarevic (Belgrade, Serbia/Sixth Belgrade Grammar School), and freshman
Alexander Skinner (Namibia, Africa/Windhoek Afrikaans Private School) took home first in the 400 medley relay with a time of 3:25.98. McKendree's 200 free relay team of Pucarevic, freshman
Tyler Morris (Edwardsville, IL), sophomore
Cole Morgan (George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands/Cayman International School), and sophomore
Luca Simonetti (Sassari, Italy/Liceo Scientifico Gulielmo Marconi Sassari) touched the wall in 1:25.58 to earn first place as well.
Individually, Buijs took first in all three events including the 100 back, 200 back, and the 200 IM. Skinner also took three first place finishes in individual events on the day, in the 200 free, 50 free, and the 100 free. Pucarevic competed in two individual events grabbing first in both the 100 and 200 fly events. Several other McKendree swimmers had impressive showings as well, including freshman
Throstur Bjarnason (Reykjanesbær, Iceland) who took first in the 1000 free with a time just 0.67 seconds off an NCAA B Standard qualifying time. Simonetti posted two second place swims, slotting in right behind Skinner to give the Bearcats additional points.
Sophomore diver
Thad Zuber (Lubbock, TX/Lubbock High School) took first place in both the three-meter and one-meter events, posting scores of 219.65 and 251.80, respectively.
Women's Swimming & Diving
McKendree: 189.00 -- Maryville: 59.00
Saint Louis: 173.00 – McKendree: 123.00
The Bearcats took their first victory in program history on Friday night after defeating Maryville. McKendree had numerous impressive swims across the board, including eight of 14 victories in individual events. McKendree's 400 medley relay team of freshman
Meredith Geyer (Germantown, TN/Germantown High School), freshman
Molly Smalley (Windhoek, Namibia/Plymouth College), freshman
Victoria Sananikone (Cedar Park, TX/Cedar Park High School), and sophomore
Milica Sostarec (Subotica, Serbia/Medical High School), earned first with a time of 4:00.27.
Geyer had another impressive showing after earning the PNC Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Athlete of the Week award for her performances at the Derby City Invite. Geyer took first in the 200 free and the 500 free, coming within just 0.64 seconds of an NCAA B Standard qualifying time in the 200 free. Sostarec took two first place finishes in her events as well, nearly notching an NCAA B Standard qualifying time in both the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle. Freshman
Karlie Rimat (Stanwood, WA/Stanwood High School) was out to impress, finishing first in all three of her events including the 200 fly, 200 back, and 200 IM.
