Olivia Herron Closes Out 2024 A3 Performance Invite with SIU Record 2:09 200 Breast

2024 A3 PERFORMANCE INVITE

• Thursday – Saturday, November 14 – 16, 2024
• Carbondale, IL
• SCY (25 Yards)
• DAY 1 RESULTS | DAY 1 RECAP
• DAY 2 RESULTS | DAY 2 RECAP
• DAY 3 RESULTS

TEAM STANDINGS

WOMEN

1. Southern Illinois – 1140
2. Omaha – 756.5
3. Bellarmine – 412
4. Southern Indiana – 389.5
5. Evansville – 306
6. Eastern Illinois – 226
7. Indiana State – 40

MEN

1. Southern Illinois – 1023
2. Omaha – 745
3. Bellarmine – 475
4. Evansville – 426.5
5. Southern Indiana – 380.5
6. Eastern Illinois – 194

The 3rd and final day of the 2024 A3 Performance Invite took place on Saturday in Carbondale, IL. As was the case through the first two days of the meet, SIU junior Olivia Herron put up a spectacular performance. She won the women’s 200 breast in 2:09.60, shattering her own SIU program and pool records, which both stood at 2:11.13. She got out to a quick start, splitting 1:02.45 on the opening 100.

The men’s 100 free Missouri Valley Conference record got broken twice on Saturday. The first record came in the final of the men’s 100 free, where SIU sophomore AJ Terry clocked a 44.09. Following that performance, SIU senior Alex Santiago then led the SIU ‘A’ 400 free relay off in 43.16, taking nearly a second off the record. Terry would go 2nd on that relay, splitting 43.80, then sophomore Benedek Andor split 43.65 on the 3rd leg, and freshman Willem Huggins anchored in 43.98. They finished in 2:54.59, shattering the MVC record in the process.

The Salukis had a strong performance in the women’s 400 free relay as well. Susana Henrandez (50.76), Maria Padron (50.30), Zaria Terry (50.35), and Celia Pulido (49.54) combined for a 3:20.95, winning the race by well over 2 seconds.

Henrandez was an individual event winner along with the relay win, taking the women’s 100 free in 50.08 earlier in the session. She holds the SIU program record in the event with a 49.47 from last season. Padron came in 2nd in the event, finishing in 50.75.

Pulido was another individual winner who was on the winning relay, swimming a 1:54.44 to win the women’s 200 back decisively. Pulido is an elite backstroker, but the 100 is her primary event. She holds the SIU program record in the 200 with a 1:53.80 from last season. SIU freshman Liseska Gallegos finished 2nd on Saturday, swimming a career best of 1:57.92.

Willem Huggins was another relay winner who took an individual event on the day. The freshman won the men’s 200 back in 1:44.85, setting a new personal best and breaking the MVC record in the process.

Another MVC record went down in the men’s 200 breast, where Saluki senior Henrique Pacheco swam a 1:58.60. SIU has a great duo in the event, as junior Tiago Faleiros came in 2nd with a 1:59.88.

OTHER EVENT WINNERS

• Women’s 1650 free: Fernanda Sanchez (SIU) – 17:16.16
• Men’s 1650 free: Sam Jones (Bellarmine) – 15:39.25
• Women’s 200 fly: Sveva Brugnoli (Evansville) – 2:04.47
• Men’s 200 fly: Hazem Aboustate (SIU) – 1:49.23