EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – McKendree University women's swimming started their 2021-22 season here Saturday at the St. Louis Showcase held at the Chuck Fruit Aquatic Center on the campus of Edwardsville High School.

The Bearcats had a strong showing at the season opening meet as they placed in the Top 3 in all 10 events, including placing first nine of 10 events and sweeping the top three spots in three events.

McKendree got the meet started off by having their 200-meter medley relay team of senior Abigail Rumpp (Knoxville, Tenn./L&N STEM Academy), junior Grace Credit (La Grange Highlands, Ill./Lyons Township), sophomore Vanda Voroshazy (Herceghalom, Hungary/Saint Joseph) and freshman Karley Sonnenberg (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) placed first with a time of 2:06.05.

In addition, McKendree's C and B relay teams placed third and fifth respectively with times of 2:10.20 and 2:11.61. The members of the 'C' relay team were freshman Caitlyn Sligh (Tomball, Texas/Tomball Memorial), freshman Presley Heitzmann (Magnolia, Texas/Magnolia), graduate student Molly Smalley (Windhoek, Namibia/Plymouth College) and senior Hallie Dixon (Jeffersonville, Ind./Jeffersonville), while the members of the 'B' relay team were sophomore Alexis Kachkin (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South), freshman Sarah Gromley (Las Cruces, N.M./Las Cruces), senior Haley Rey (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) and sophomore Hope Euler (Bentonville, Ark./Bentonville West).

Rey won the 50-meter butterfly in a time of 31.35 as the Bearcats also went fourth, seventh and 11th in the event. Along with Rey, Rumpp was fourth with a time of 31.65, while Credit was seventh with a time of 32.32 and senior Camryn Anderson (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) was 11th with a time of 34.08.

The Bearcats would then go first, second, third and seventh in the 200-meter individual medley as Gromley came in first with a time of 2:32.02, while Heitzmann was second with a time of 2:37.52 and Smalley was third with a time of 2:39.37. Voroshazy placed seventh with a time of 2:43.89.

McKendree would also take home the top three spots in the next event – 50-meter freestyle. In fact, the Bearcats had seven swimmers finish in the Top 13. Sonnenberg was the top finisher in a time of 27.90, while Rey was second with a time of 29.06 and junior Emily Drabick (Barto, Pa./Florida Southern) was third with a time of 29.25. Kachkin was sixth (29.48), Euler was eighth (29.90), Sligh was 11th (30.41) and Anderson was 13th (30.56).

Dixon took home first place in the 400-meter freestyle as she recorded a time of 4:52.31.

The Bearcats then placed first and second in the 500-meter freestyle relay as its top team of Sonnenberg, Rumpp, Gormley and Dixon was first with a time of 5:33.07, while the second team of Euler, Kachkin, Voroshazy and Heitzmann was second with a time of 5:42.67.

Rumpp and Sligh then first and second in the 50-meter backstroke as Rumpp recorded a time of 33.22 and Sligh swam a time of 33.76. Anderson placed ninth in the event with a time of 36.13.

Credit, Heitzmann, Drabick, Vonoshazy and Dixon wen second, third, fourth, sixth and ninth respectively in the 50-meter breaststroke as Credit's second time of 36.13 set a new pool record. UMSL's Zara Konstapel won the event with a new pool record time of 35.94.

Sonnenberg, Gromley, Euler, Sligh, Smalley and Drabick finished first, second, third, fifth, 11th and 13th in the 100-meter freestyle. Sonnenberg's first place time was 1:01.64, while Gromley's time was 1:02.05 and Euler's time was 1:05.05.

In the final event of the meet, the Bearcats went first, third, fifth and ninth in the mixed 200-meter freestyle relay. The 'A' team of junior Caleb Law (Anchorage, Alaska/Robert Service), graduate student Xander Skinner (Namibia, Africa/Windhoek Afrikaans Private School), Sonnenberg and Rumpp recorded a time of 1:44.18. The 'B' team of senior Gregg Lichinsky (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley), freshman Arthur Souza (Belo Horizonte, Brazil/Colegio Saber), Rey and Dixon.

McKendree is scheduled to return to the pool Friday, Oct. 8 as they travel to Carbondale, Ill., for a 2 p.m. dual match against Southern Illinois University.