RESULTS

(O'FALLON, Ill., Oct. 4) – The McKendree University men's and women's swimming and diving program opened up its season on Friday afternoon at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex against Division-I Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The men dominated the visiting Salukis 182-112 and women were defeated 203-92.
 
The Bearcats will be right back at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex on Oct. 18 as they host another D-I opponent in the University of Evansville.
 
The meet started off with the 400-yard medley relay. The women's team of senior Sydney Rey (Columbia, IL/Columbia High School), freshman Grace Credit (La Grange Highlands, IL/Lyons Township High School), junior Victoria Sananikone (Cedar Park, TX/Cedar Park High School), and junior Meredith Geyer (Germantown, TN/Germantown High School) combined to take second with a time of 4:09.10. The men's team of freshmen Davante Carey (Nassau, Bahamas/Queens College), John Heaphy (Eagle River, AK/Eagle River High School), senior Matija Pucarevic (Belgrade, Serbia/Sixth Belgrade Grammar School), and junior Alexander Skinner (Namibia, Africa/Windhoek Afrikaans Private School) took first place with a time of 3:21.86.
 
Freshman Fabio Dalu () and junior Throstur Bjarnason (Reykjanesbær, Iceland/Fjölbrautaskóli Suðurnesja) took first and second in the 1000 freestyle. Dalu finished with a time of 9:22.42 and Bjarnason touched the wall in 9:39.41.
 
Skinner placed first in the 200 freestyle, finishing with a 1:40.95.
 
S. Rey captured the top spot in the 100 backstroke with a time of 58.57.
 
Heaphy won his first individual event as a Bearcat after touching the wall in 57.01 in the 100 breaststroke.
 
The 200 butterfly saw the men take the top two spots as Pucarevic and sophomore John Bodden (George Town, Cayman Islands/Cayman Prep and High) finished with times of 1:54.14 and 1:55.26, respectively.
 
The Bearcats won the 50 freestyle on both sides as senior Milica Sostarec (Subotica, Serbia/Medical High School) turned in a 24.05 and sophomore Gregg Lichinsky (West Des Moines, IA/West Des Moines Valley High School) finished with a 20.63.
 
In the 100 freestyle, the men took the three top spots. Skinner took first with a 44.70, senior Luca Simonetti (Sassari, Italy/Liceo Scientifico Gulielmo Marconi Sassari) placed second with a 46.94, and freshman Caleb Law (Anchorage, AK/Robert Service High School) finished with a 47.00.
 
S. Rey secured another victory in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:07.50.
 
The men took first and second in the 500 freestyle with Dalu and Bjarnason taking the top two spots in both distance events. Dalu finished with a 4:34.84 and Bjarnason touched the wall in 4:43.50.
 
Pucarevic led the way in the 100 butterfly as the men took the top four spots in the event. Pucarevic finished with a 49.28, Lichinsky closed with a 50.86, sophomores Taras Zherebetskyy (Alghero, Sardegna, Italy/I.T.S Alghero) turned in a 52.40, and Noah Javens (West Lafayette, IN/William Henry Harrison High School) finished with a 52.42.
 
In his first meet as a Bearcat, Dalu set a new school record in the 400 IM, turning in a time of 4:02.97.
 
The meet closed with wins in the 200 freestyle relay for both teams. The women's team of Sostarec, S. Rey, H. Rey, and junior Meredith Geyer (Germantown, TN/Germantown High School) finished with a 1:37.79. The men's team of Pucarevic, Lichinsky, Law, and Skinner closed with a 1:22.22.

"I am proud of the Bearcats in their tough battle with the Salukis. We were pretty dominant in the men's meet and posted some impressive times including x4 NCAA B Cuts," said head coach Jimmy Tierney. "The women faced a very talented SIU squad yet competed well. They garnered one NCAA B Cut by Milica Sostarec (Subotica, Serbia/Medical High School). I am excited to learn from our mistakes and get better in the next couple weeks."