Full Meet Results

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Fighting Illini Swimming and Diving team took first in the 2021 House of Champions Midseason Invite in Indianapolis last weekend. The weekend was highlighted by 74 lifetime bests and 171 season bests for the Illini. The Orange and Blue placed first out of ten teams competing in Indianapolis with a total of 1364 points, rising up from second place on day 2. 

"The whole team stayed focused from the start to the finish of the meet," said head coach Sue Novitsky,  "We kept competing, stayed united and worked our way up through the standings.  We keep improving as a team and this was a strong finish to the fall."

The Fighting Illini had a strong run in the 400 freestyle relay, where the team of Lily Olson, Molly Yetter, Laurel Bludgen, and Abby Cabush finished first with a time of 3:21.42, setting the meet record for the House of Champions invite. The record was previously held by a relay team from the University of Cincinatti set on November 18^thof 2018. 

On day three of competition, the Illini sent 17 swimmers to the finals in their events, and 6 of those swimmers reached the podium. Of those six, Abby Cabush, Lily Olson, and Molly Yetter clocked a lifetime best in their final performance. The full list of top-10 finishes is as follows.

Sophomore Cara Bognar – 1650 Freestyle – 2^nd Place (17:02.63) 

100 butterfly – 3^rd Place (2:02.99)

Sophomore Laurel Bludgen – 100 Freestyle – 7^th Place (51.43)

Senior Abigail Cabush – 100 Freestyle – 3^rd Place (50.41)

Junior Kaleigh Haworth – 200 Breaststroke – 3^rd Place (2:19.25)

Junior Divya Kale – 200 Breaststroke – 6^th Place (2:20.34)

Senior Sidney Kennedy – 1650 Freestyle – 4^th Place (17:09.38)

Sophomore Lily Olson – 200 Butterfly – 2^nd Place (2:01.57)

Senior Lauren Partridge – 100 Breaststroke – 4^th Place (2:19.91)

Sophomore Athena Salafatinos – 200 Backstroke – 3^rd Place (1:51.71)

Freshman Molly Yetter – 100 Freestyle – 2^nd Place (50.26)

ON THE BOARDS

The Illini Diving Team had a great performance on the boards over the weekend, with 4 Illini placing in the top 10 for the 1 meter, and 3 placing in the top 10 for the 3 meter event. Brooke Michael landed a spot on the podium in the 3 Meter Diving event, scoring a personal best of 268.70. Taylor Michael recorded a personal best in the prelims of the 3 Meter diving, scoring a 266.25. The divers earning top-10 places are as follows.

Sophomore Brooke Michael – 1 Meter Diving - 5^th Place (244.95)

3 Meter Diving – 3^rd Place (268.70)

Sophomore Taylor Michael – 1 Meter Diving – 7^th Place (242.90)

3 Meter Diving – 4^thPlace (254.40)

Junior Erin Young – 1 Meter Diving – 6^th Place (244.15)

Senior Madelyn Crosby – 1 Meter Diving – 9^th Place (232.35)

3 Meter Diving – 10^thPlace (242.75)

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