2024 A3 PERFORMANCE INVITE
- Thursday – Saturday, November 14 – 16, 2024
- Carbondale, IL
- SCY (25 Yards)
- DAY 1 RESULTS
TEAM STANDINGS
WOMEN
- Southern Illinois – 381
- Omaha – 208
- Bellarmine – 119
- Southern Indiana – 113
- Evansville – 92
- Eastern Illinois – 69
- Indiana State – 18
MEN
- Southern Illinois – 342
- Omaha – 211
- Bellarmine – 138
- Southern Indiana – 130.5
- Evansville – 103.5
- Eastern Illinois – 60
Southern Illinois is hosting their annual A3 performance Invite this weekend in Carbondale. In addition to the Salukis, Nebraska – Omaha, Bellarmine, Southern Indiana, Evansville, Eastern Illinois, and Indiana State (women only) are in attendance.
The first day of the meet saw a number of records fall at the hands of SIU. The Salukis kicked the meet off with a new program record and pool record in the women’s 200 free relay. Masha Zhukova (23.37), Zaria Terry (22.98), Susana Hernandez (22.54), and Celia Pulido (22.44) combined for a 1:31.33, winning the race by 2.5 seconds.
Following that performance, the SIU men’s team went on to break the Missouri Valley Conference record in the 200 free relay. Benedek Andor (20.32), Willem Huggins (19.72), Donat Csuvarszki (20.15), and Alex Santiago (19.37) teamed up to swim a 1:19.56, bringing the MVC record under 1:20 for the first time ever. There will be a lot of MVC records this season, as the MVC began sponsoring men’s swimming and diving again this season after 21 years.
Continuing the record-setting, SIU junior Olivia Herron won the women’s 200 IM decisively last night, swimming a 1:57.21. Her performance broke her own SIU program and pool records, both of which stood at 1:58.80. Herron swam a very well-balanced race, splitting 25.69 on fly, 29.46 on back, 33.42 on breast, and 28.64 on free.
Saluki sophomore Benedek Andor then cracked the MVC record in the men’s 200 IM, ripping a 1:46.77. With the swim, Andor sits just 1.5 seconds off the SIU program record of 1:45.27. Of note, teammate Henrique Pacheco (senior) was also under the previous MVC record, touching 2nd in 1:48.14.
Southern Illinois senior Alex Santiago, an NCAA qualifier last season, won the men’s 50 free in 19.71. In prelims yesterday morning, Santiago swam a 19.65, setting a new MVC record in the event. Santiago holds a career best of 19.12 in the event.
Santiago would also help SIU’s men’s 400 medley relay to victory at the end of the session. Willem Huggins (47.74), Andor (55.62), Nicolas Barrio (46.85), and Santiago (43.54) finished in 3:13.75.
The Salukis also won the women’s 400 medley relay, seeing Celia Pulido (52.47), Herron (1:00.38), Maria Padron (54.05), and Susana Hernandez (50.87) combine for a 3:37.77.
Hernandez was an individual winner as well, taking the women’s 50 free in 23.07. She’s now sitting just off the SIU program record of 22.96.
SIU sophomore Tomas Peciar won the men’s 500 free in 4:28.75, beating out sophomore teammate Joshua Aceves (4:30.16).
Nebraska – Omaha picked up a win in the women’s 500 free, where senior Hailey Matthews finished in 4:53.95, touching 1st by over 4 seconds. Matthews swam an aggressive race, getting out to a 2:23.12 on the opening 250 yards, which was on pace for a 4:46.24. Her splits then steadily slowed over the back half of the race, though her final time was great for her, as Matthews’ career best stands at 4:53.19.
Men’s 3-meter diving saw Oliver Mebs, an SIU sophomore, win by a bug margin, finishing with a total score of 310.35.
