CHICAGO (Oct. 21, 2023) – The UIC women's swimming and diving team had strong marks in front of a home crowd at Flames Natatorium Saturday afternoon but couldn't keep up with Illinois State in the end, as the Flames fell to the Redbirds 190-107.
Saturday's meet was UIC's third against an MVC program this season. The Flames have already competed against Evansville and Indiana State this year.
COMMENT FROM SWIMMING AND DIVING HEAD COACH ASHLEY DELL
"I'm proud of the way the women came together and competed this weekend. To go against two of the top three MVC teams in the same month is very hard, let alone the same weekend. They fought hard and never gave up. Having these kind of meets in October will only help us at the end of the season and I can't wait to see how they compete next Friday."
COMMENT FROM ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH AND HEAD DIVING COACH SUSAN BROMBERG
"I am so proud of how these women did today after a long day yesterday at Indiana State. Each of our divers had at least one event where they scored their season-best totals today."
DIVING
- ·Sophomore Kerry-Leigh Morrison (Gauteng, South Africa/St. Mary's) won the three-meter diving board event with a score of 301.20 points. The mark qualified Morrison for the NCAA Division I Zone Diving Championships in March. She also placed second on the one-meter diving event (241.28 points).
- Junior Ciara McCliment (Farmington Hill, Mich./Mercy) also had a strong showing in competition, placing in the top-three in both the one-meter (third/236.18 points) and three-meter (second/278.10 points) diving events.
- Sophomore Kathryn Klezcka (Franklin, Wis./Diving Savior Holy Angels) recorded a personal-best on the three-meter diving board with a score of 242.93 points.
- Sophomore Gabby Richards (Saline, Mich./Saline) also hit a career-high on the one-meter diving board, scoring 232.13 points.
SWIMMING
- Sophomore Madison Helmick (Bingham Farms, Mich./Birmingham Groves) finished first in the 1000 free with a time of 10:35.37.
- Sophomore Isabella Drake (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead Union) placed third in the 100 back, finishing in 59.46.
- Senior Taira Juronis (Palos Hill, Ill./Amos Alonzo Stagg) had a strong meet with three different second place finishes: 100 breast (1:07.21), 200 breast (2:27.45) and the 200 individual medley (2:13.61).
- Junior Kendra Preski (Springfield, Ill./Colorado State) finished third in the 100 fly with the time of 2:12.07. Freshman Coco Roy (Orlando, Fla./Lake Highland Preparatory) finished right behind Preski in fourth place (2:13.13).
- Roy later finished third-place finish in the 200 individual medley (2:15.63).
- Junior Kalie Landrum (Keller, Texas/Keller) finished the 200 free in third, with a time of 1:55.73. Freshman Molly Kroeger was right behind her in fourth place with a 1:56.67 finish.
- Senior Izabella Del Rosario (South Elgin, Ill./Saint Charles North) finished the 100 Fly in 58.39, placing third for the Flames.
- UIC's 200 free relay team of Del Rosario, Helmick, Landrum and senior Jessica Phillips (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) finished in second place at 1:37.66.
UP NEXT FOR THE FLAMES!
UIC's men's and women's swimming and diving teams will travel to Milwaukee to take on the Panthers at the Klotsche Natatorium next Friday. The competition is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
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