Missouri State wrapped up its swimming & diving regular season with a win over conference opponent Evansville on Friday evening at Hammons Student Center pool. The Bears captured a 149-94 win over the Purple Aces on the women's side, while the MSU men beat the Purple Aces 138-97.
The Missouri State swimming & diving program continues to have success against Evansville as the women moved to 10-2 all-time.
The MSU women collected victories in both 200 relays, but had to work for the win as they edged the Purple Aces' 200 free relay by only .07 seconds in a photo finish. SophomoreJanke Engelbrecht anchored the relay with a freestyle split of 24.39.
In the women's individual events, the Bears came away with a number of 1-2-3 finishes including the 1000 free, 50 free, 100 free and 200 back.
Event winners included Dimitra Drakpoulou (1000 free), Megan Holthoff from lane 8 in the 50 free, Melissa Oishi (200 IM), Roni Balzam (200 fly), Anna Ahlin (200 back), Renata Sander (200 breast) and Andrea Uzcategui in the 100 free. Uzcategui, a junior transfer from Indian River State College, had an impressive win, achieving a season best in the 100 free (53.03) and beating the field by more than 1.5 seconds.
In men's action, the Bears remain undefeated against the Purple Aces in dual meets, improving their record to 15-0.
To begin the meet, the MSU men grabbed 1-2-3 finishes on both boards, with Garrett Nevels getting the wins. On the 1-meter, the freshman accomplished a feat that no other diver has done under head coach Jim Huelskamp in his 25 years of coaching high school and collegiate diving. Nevels performed all six dives with a degree of difficulty of 3.0 or above on each dive.
Like the women, Missouri State's men placed 1-2-3 in majority of their events.
Event winners on the men's side included Jared Roberts (1000 free), Caleb Schuermann in the 200 and 500 free, Vitalii Baryshok in the 50 and 100 free, Chris Carpenter (200 IM), Matthew Wilson (200 fly), Paul Le (200 back) and Colin Hill (200 breast).
The Bears also posted large margins of victory in the 200 medley and 200 free relays.
On Friday evening at the first break, 11 seniors who were competing in their final meet at Hammons Student Center, were recognized. That list includes:Brynne Buell, Liz Chollet, Dimitra Drakopoulou, Katie Lindeman, Laura Peterson, Dawn Richerson, Ali Stauffer, Brianna Willoughby, Jeff Bentz, Bryson Cramer and Tyler Saltzberry.
With the final dual meet of the season in the books, the Bears will begin preparing for their respective conference championships. The women, who are in pursuit of their fifth straight title and ninth overall, will once again be heading to Carbondale, Ill. for the MVC Championships, Feb. 16-18. Two weeks later, the MSU men will pack their bags for the Mid-American Conference Championships in Oxford, Ohio, March 1-3.
Another event that is making the headlines this weekend is the annual Missouri State University Athletics Hall of Fame induction. Highlighting the seven-member induction class for 2012 is long-time swimming & diving head coachJack Steck, who recently retired Dec. 31 following 29 seasons at MSU.
The new inductees will go into the shrine at an induction ceremony to be held Saturday, January 28, in an 11:00 a.m. brunch in the Plaster Student Union Ballroom. Inductees will also be recognized in halftime ceremonies at this weekend's MSU basketball games in JQH Arena.