Final Results | Team Scores
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Fighting Illini swimming and diving team picked up three victories at its annual Splash Bash meet on Saturday, as UI defeated Olivet Nazarene (180-59), Youngstown State (155-85) and Butler (192-39). Prior to the meet, seven senior swimmers and divers, including Ashley Aegerter, Nelly Casas, Raquel Corniuk, Adelaide Curry, Kaitlyn Joyce, Sascha Meyers and Samantha Stratford, were honored as part of a Senior Day celebration.
The Illini dominated throughout the meet, winning 10 of 13 events, including both 1-meter and 3-meter diving. The relay quartet of McCord, Stratford, Vuong and Anderson got things started for the Illini, finishing first in the 400 medley relay in a time of 3:54.79. Sophomore Monica Guyett followed that performance with a first-place finish of her own, touching the wall first in the 1000 freestyle 10:26.96.
Freshman Emma Curtis and senior Samantha Stratford won the next two events for the Orange and Blue. Curtis finished first in the 50 freestyle (:24.36), while Stratford paced all swimmers in the 200 individual medley (2:05.63). Stratford continued her strong showing, as the Ontario, Canada, native posted a 2:06.87 in the 200 butterfly for her second first-place finish of the day.
Other event winners were freshman Michelle McCord in the 200 backstroke (2:05.54) and senior Ashley Aegerter in the 200 breaststroke (2:19.12). The relay team of Curtis, Vuong, Anderson and Guyett wrapped up the annual Splash Bash with a strong showing in the 400 freestyle relay, finishing first with a time of 3:36.38.
On the Boards
Junior diver Madeline Kuhn had yet another strong showing on the boards, winning both 1-meter (278.82) and 3-meter diving (275.25). Freshman Emma Burns posted a 1-meter score of 163.65 and 3-meter total of 221.47 to place fifth and fourth, respectively.
Next Up
The Illini divers will travel to Chicago for the UIC Diving Invitational on February 3, at 11 a.m. CT. The team will then get set for the Big Ten Championships, held in Columbus, Ohio, from February 14-17.
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