CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois swim and dive completed the House of Paign Invite on Saturday (Oct. 25) in the ARC Pool. The Illini beat Illinois State 272-78 and Southern Illinois 203-143 to improve to 4-0 on the young 2025-26 season.
The 400 medley relay team of Sophia Paduano, Kayla Duran, Chloe Diner and Eva Allan started the morning off with the eighth-fastest time in program history in their silver medal finish (3:41.79). Matilda Garcia earned the gold medal in the one-meter dive today with the program's eighth highest score of 288.98 which is an NCAA B cut.
Diner later went on to earn silver in the 200 IM (2:02.06), Duran did so as well in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.27) and Allan Earned bronze in the 100 freestyle (50.99).
Liv Dorshorst once again won the 500 freestyle on a time of 4:55.19 and Taylor Judas placed second on a time of 4:58.68. Each of them improved over six seconds from their season opening time last week.
Alexis Wendel captured the event crown in the 200 butterfly (2:04.01). Kalina Nikolaeva touched second in the 200 backstroke (2:00.47) and Adelaide Reaser did so in the 200 butterfly (2:05.66).
On the one-meter boards, Bethany Mercer (282.98) and Elle Crisostomo (275.78) finished second and third, respectively, each with new personal-best scores and NCAA B cuts. Elleka Boeres placed fourth (263.93) and Carlie Rose placed fifth (243.45).
TOP-10 PROGRAM MARKS
Eighth – 400 medley relay: Sophia Paduano, Kayla Duran, Chloe Diner, Eva Allan (3:41.79)
Eighth – One-meter dive: Matilda Garcia (288.98)
POOL RECORDS
100 breaststroke: Olivia Herron, Southern Illinois (1:01.48)
400 medley relay: Liseska Gallegos Gutierrez, Olivia Herron, Brooklyn Anderson, Susana Hernandez (Southern Illinois, 3:41.30)
EVENT WINNERS
200 butterfly: Alexis Wendel (2:04.01)
200 freestyle relay: Isabella Wilhelm, Audrey Cavaliere, Maggie Adler, Stephanie Kirova (1:33.55)
500 freestyle: Liv Dorshorst (4:55.19)
One-meter dive: Matilda Garcia (288.98)
PERSONAL BESTS
100 freestyle: Eva Allan (50.99)
100 freestyle: Martina Cibulkova (51.36)
One-meter dive: Matilda Garcia (288.98)
One-meter dive: Bethany Mercer (282.98)
One-meter dive: Elle Crisostomo (275.78)
UP NEXT
The Orange and Blue aquatics team is off for one week before they are back in action the following week on Nov. 7-8 when they travel to Terre Haute, Ind. to take on Indiana State and Vanderbilt in a tri meet.
