Jerod Simek Director of Operations | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Jerod Simek Director of Operations | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
The Illinois swim and dive team is preparing to host the Kansas Jayhawks for their 2024-25 home opener at the ARC Pool in Champaign, Illinois. The event is scheduled for Thursday, October 10, with diving starting at 4:30 p.m. and swimming at 5 p.m. Central Time.
The Fighting Illini are looking to improve on last season's performance when they were defeated by Kansas with a score of 169-131 in Lawrence, Kansas. This year, Illinois returns all six of their individual Big Ten scorers from last season: senior Sydney Stoll, junior Sara Jass, and sophomores Gwen Bakker, Matilda Garcia, Bethany Mercer, and Kylee Sessions. "Jass was the top scorer for the Illini with 19 points," followed by Stoll with 12 points.
In addition to these returning athletes, the team also brings back four active individual school record holders. Senior Logan Kuehne holds records in both the 50 freestyle (22.79) and the 50 butterfly (24.64). Senior Suvana Baskar owns the record for the 100 backstroke at 53.66 seconds. Sophomore Liv Dorshorst holds records in both the 1000 freestyle (9:56.73) and the 1650 freestyle (16:33.79), while Stoll has set records in three events: "the 200 freestyle (1:47.53), 100 butterfly (54.00) and the 100 IM (55.21)."
On the diving side, five divers return from last season to begin their sophomore campaigns: Elleka Boeres, Elle Crisostomo, Matilda Garcia, Bethany Mercer, and Dani O'Kelly. Freshmen Leia Berman and Carlie Rose join them this year.
Kansas began its season on October 4 with a strong performance at the Sunflower Showdown where they finished first out of four teams with a total of "1,157 points."
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