Jeana Kempe Head Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Jeana Kempe Head Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
The Illinois swim and dive team marked a successful start to their season with a victory in their first road meet against Southern Illinois. Freshman Chloe Diner set a new program record in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:01.59, earning her second place in the event. Diner also secured silver medals with the program's second-fastest times in both the 200 IM (1:59.18) and the fifth-fastest 200 breaststroke (2:14.30).
The Illini now hold a perfect 5-0 record after defeating Southern Illinois 157-143 and Illinois State 252-48.
In relay events, the team's A squad, consisting of senior Suvana Baskar, Diner, senior Logan Kuehne, and freshman Isabella Wilhelm, achieved a silver medal with the program's fifth-fastest time (1:40.25). The B team also performed well, securing bronze with an eighth-best time (1:40.67).
Other notable performances included freshman Kayla Duran who swam the second-fastest 100 breaststroke time for third place (1:01.82), while freshman Sophia Paduano claimed third in the 200 backstroke with another top-five finish (1:59.81).
Illinois dominated the podium in both freestyle distances; Kennedy Rainwater led the sweep in the 1000 freestyle with her tenth-fastest program mark (10:09.15), followed by Taylor Judas and Paloma Canos Cervera finishing second and third respectively.
Sophomore Liv Dorshorst topped the field in the 500 freestyle alongside teammates Rainwater, Judas, and junior Adelaide Reaser who rounded out strong finishes.
In other events, junior Alexis Wendel captured first place in the 200 butterfly (2:03.25), while Sydney Stoll won gold in the 100 butterfly (54.09) and earned silver in the 200 freestyle (1:49.39). The meet concluded with Kuehne leading her relay team to a second-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay.
On diving boards, sophomore Bethany Mercer claimed victory on one-meter dives scoring 245.85 points, while Dani O'Kelly triumphed on three meters scoring 267.95 points.
Illinois swimmers will have three weeks off before returning to competition at Iowa City's Hawkeye Invite from November 21-23.
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