Indiana State and Missouri State Earn MVC Team Titles as 3 More Swimmers Earn NCAA Invites

2026 Missouri Valley Conference Championships

• Dates: Wednesday, February 25–Saturday, February 28
• Location: Deaconess Aquatic Center, Evansville, IN
• Defending Champions: Indiana State women (1x); Miami-OH (1x)
• Live Results (MeetMobile)
• Live Video
• Championship Central
• SwimSwam Fan Guide
• Teams: Ball State, Evansville, Illinois-Chicago*, Illinois State (women), Indiana State (women), Little Rock (women), Miami-OH (men), Missouri State, Northern Iowa (women), Southern Illinois, UIC, UMass (men)*, Valparaiso
• Men’s Final Results
• Women’s Final Results
• Day 1 Recap | Day 2 Recap | Day 3 Recap

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS 

WOMEN

1. Indiana State – 1236
2. Southern Illinois – 1161
3. Missouri State – 1117
4. UIC – 1054.5
5. Northern Iowa – 920
6. Little Rock – 869.5
7. Illinois State – 697
8. Evansville – 313
9. Valparaiso – 253

MEN

1. Missouri State – 1446.5
2. Miami (OH) – 1394.5
3. Southern Illinois – 1189.5
4. UMass – 925.5
5. Ball State – 878.5
6. UIC – 831.5
7. Evansville – 397
8. Valparaiso – 383

The 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Championships are in the books. Indiana State has repeated as the women’s champions, while Missouri State topped the men’s team standings.

The final day of the meet kicked off with some spectacular performances in the 1650 free. In the women’s mile, Indiana State freshman Grace Cummings clocked a 16:17.25 to earn the win. This was a huge performance for both Cummings and Indiana State. She was under the NCAA qualifying time of 16:25.29, which means she earned an invite to the NCAA Championships in a few weeks. Additionally, that makes Cummings Indiana State’s 1st NCAA qualifier in program history.

It was another freshman, Miami’s Elijah Rolfsen who won the men’s 1650. Rolfsen popped a 15:04.27, winning the race by half a second. Additionally, he qualified for the NCAA Championships, as he was under the qualifying time of 15:06.60. Zach Mendez, a Missouri State freshman, finished in a close 2nd, clocking a 15:04.78.

The women’s 20 back saw Southern Illinois sophomore Liseska Gallegos Gutierrez claim victory with a 1:56.46. She was just a touch off her career best of 1:56.33, which she swam back in the fall at the Mizzou Invite.

Miami (OH) junior Jensen Nelson took the men’s 200 back in 1:42.88. The performance marks Nelson’s 1st time under 1:43 in the event. On top of that, he cracked the MVC record, which stood at 1:43.03.

The women’s 100 free went to Missouri State junior Makenzie Kurre, who stopped the clock in 49.37. The swim marks a career best for Kurre.

Miami freshman Duncan Salmen won the men’s 100 free in 43.37. He was actually a touch quicker in prelims, where he swam a 43.35. Salmen’s prelims swim marked his 1st time under 44 seconds in the event.

SIU senior Olivia Herron earned victory in the women’s 200 breast, where she stopped the clock in 2:11.01. With the swim, Herron punched her ticket to NCAAs, as she was just under the qualifying time of 2:11.27. Herron holds a career best of 2:08.08, which she swam in November at the Mizzou Invite.

Missouri State freshman Kiefer Roemer posted a 1:56.83 to win the men’s 200 breast. That swim is a new personal best for Roemer.

The final relay of the meet was the 400 free relay, where Lana Janson (50.32), Ainsley Jenkins (49.83), Ane Meier (50.09), and Makenzie Kurre (48.73) combined to earn the win for Missouri State in 3:18.97.

The men’s 400 free relay saw Southern Illinois’ Benedek Andor (43.69), Carter Ruthven (43.74), Alex Cimera (43.43), and Willem Huggins (43.04) team up for a 2:53.90.