Top Marks List
After posting an 8-4 record during the 2015-16 season, the Fighting Illini swimming and diving team finished 2016-17 with a dual meet record of 7-4, giving the program four consecutive winning seasons for the first time since the span of 1996-2000. The team also placed 12th at the Big Ten Championships.
Following the annual Orange and Blue intra-squad meet, the squad welcomed Marshall and Michigan State to the ARC Pool, as this meet marked the beginning of the regular season. The Illini came away with victories over the Thundering Herd (167-133) and the Spartans (152-148).
The following day, the team hosted in-state rivals Southern Illinois and Illinois State. The team quickly improved to 4-0 on the season with wins over SIU (178-103) and ISU (200-81).
Next, Illinois hit the road for Evanston, Illinois, to take on Northwestern and Rutgers. While the team suffered its first loss of the season to Northwestern (122-178), the Illini also garnered a 168-132 victory over Rutgers.
The next meet of the season saw the Illini travel to Terre Haute, Indiana, to take on the newly-formed Indiana State swimming program. The Illini improved to 6-1 with a dominant 184-77 victory over the Sycamores.Â
Next on the schedule for the Orange and Blue was the annual Missouri Invitational, where the Illini collected 637 points, placing them second in the competition behind only Missouri (1,332).
The team then returned to the ARC Pool to host Arkansas. Illinois fell to the Razorbacks (118-179) to move its record to 6-2.
The Illini finished the season with a record of 1-3 in the final four meets of the season. The team earned a victory over Iowa State, while falling to Notre Dame, Iowa and Nebraska.
To finish the regular season, three Illini divers competed in the UIC Diving Invitational, each posting top marks on the season. Following the regular season, UI set its sights on the Big Ten Championships, which were held in West Lafayette, Indiana.
 At the Big Ten Swimming & Diving Championships, the Orange and Blue surpassed three school records in three different events over the course of the four-day competition. In addition to the school records, the Illini produced season-best times in 13 events and registered 11 marks that finished the season on the school's all-time fastest individuals list at the league championships.
HOME POOL ADVANTAGE
After a season which saw the Illini host only two home events in 2015-16, the team hosted five events against seven teams in 2016-17, coming away with a record of 5-2. The team started 4-0 at home with victories over Marshall, Michigan State, Southern Illinois and Illinois State. UI then went 1-2 at home, featuring a victory over Iowa State and losses against Arkansas and Nebraska.
IMPACTFUL FRESHMEN
With only three seniors on the roster for the 2016-17 campaign, Illinois had to look for early contributions from underclassmen. The freshman class responded in a big way, finishing with season best times in three events for the Illini.
Jamie Kolar finished with the top 100 backstroke time for the team in the regular season with a time of :56.41 at the Missouri Invitational. The Lincolnwood, Illinois, native beat that time at the B1G Championships to move up to 5th on the team's all-time fastest individuals list. Kolar also had the second-best 200 backstroke time of the season, touching the wall in a time of 2:00.96 at the B1G Championships. The time placed her as the 8th fastest on the school's fastest individuals list.
The other freshman swimmer that made a huge impact in her first year on campus was Monica Guyett. Guyett led the way for the Illini in the long distance freestyle events all season long, finishing with the three fastest 1000 freestyle times. The freshman also had the two quickest times in the 1650 freestyle, headlined by her season-best 16:53.90 time at the B1G Championships.
STECKER & STRATFORD
Although there was quite an impact from the underclassmen, the Illini were led by their veterans, as both senior Gabbie Stecker and junior Samantha Stratford continued to add to their successful Illini careers.Â
After a dominant sophomore season a year ago, Stratford picked up right where she left off this season. The junior held the top three fastest times in the 400 individual medley on the season, as well as the top time in the 100 free, which qualified for the NCAA B Cut. The highlight of her season was a school record time of 1:58.95 in the 200 individual medley at the Missouri Invitational. Stratford finished with the seven fastest times in the 200 IM for the Illini on the season.
Senior Gabbie Stecker also saw a lot of success on the season, finishing with the team's season best times in both the 500 freestyle, as well as the 200 backstroke. The Iowa native also came away with a school record time of 1:59.12 in the 200 butterfly at the B1G Championships. The time qualified for the NCAA B cut. Both swimmers were also part of school record performances in the 400 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay.
OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMERS
The Illini also saw top marks on the season from a number of other swimmers, including seniors Audrey Rodawig and Amelia Schilling, junior Ashley Aegerter and sophomores Gabriele Serniute and Megan Vuong.
The two seniors led the way in the short distance freestyle events, as Rodawig came away with the top 50 freestyle time of the season with a time of :23.36 and Schilling was the fastest Illini swimmer in the 200 freestyle, touching the wall in a time of 1:48.61.
Aegerter and Serniute also made contributions for the Illini, especially in breaststroke events, as Aegerter moved up to fourth fastest on the all-time fastest individuals list in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:14.80. The time also qualified for the NCAA B Cut. Serniute made her mark in the 100 breaststroke, finishing with a team-best time of 1:02.84 at the Missouri Invitational.
After an impressive freshman campaign, sophomore Megan Vuong earned a season-best time for the Illini in the 100 butterfly, posting a time of :54.87.
ON THE BOARDS
The three divers that competed for the Illini this season were sophomore Madeline Kuhn, freshman Lauren LaPeter and freshman Morgan Young. Kuhn led the way for the Illini all season long, earning top marks in both one-meter and three-meter diving competition. The sophomore posted her top one-meter score of 257.62 against Nebraska. Her top three-meter diving mark came at the first road meet of the season at Northwestern. At the B1G Championships, Kuhn came up big on the tower dive, finishing with a score that places her at second on the school's top-10 list.
LaPeter came away with her top one-meter mark of the season (208.65) when the Illini hosted Arkansas at the ARC Pool in early January. LaPeter's score of 223.30 in late October marked a season best for the freshman.
Freshman Morgan Young also contributed for the Illini, earning her top one-meter score (206.10) of the season against Nebraska. Young's best showing in three-meter competition came at home against SIU and ISU, posting a score of 201.00.
CONTINUED ACADEMIC SUCCESS
In the classroom, the Illini swimmers and divers continued the program's tradition of excellence, as the squad earned the Fall 2016 Scholar All-America Team recognition from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA), tying for the 78th highest GPA (3.38) amongst women's Division I swimming and diving teams.
