Three Big Blue Swimmers Notch Event Victories as Thunder Tops Millikin

The Big Blue men's and women's swimming teams traveled to Wheaton, Ill. on Friday, January 14 for a dual meet with the Thunder of Wheaton College. The dual meet was the first time in 43 years since Millikin swam Wheaton in a dual meet. Three Millikin swimmers topped individual events in the meet, but the Thunder swept the team scores by an 85-117 margin on the women's side and a 41-160 margin for the men.

Senior Hope Roderick was the first to claim an event victory for Millikin, posting a time of 11:29.33 in the 1000 yard freestyle. Dawsen Loafman continued his successful freshman campaign, winning the 100 yard freestyle for the men with his time of 51.41. Senior Brigid Duesterhaus, who recently reached the career milestone of 40 individual event wins, was the victor of the women's 100 yard freestyle in a time of 55.46.

In the 200 yard medley relays, Millikin squads placed third in both the men's and women's races. The team of Justin Maniago, Omar Ayad, Carter Noyes, and Mark Miller placed third for the men, and on the women's side it was the team of Kelli Sangston, Laura Atkinson, Katie Yelaska, and Grace Meacham.

Maniago tallied an individual third place finish in the men's 1000 yard freestyle race in his time of 11:15.69. Shay Buchanan was third in the women's 1000 yard freestyle. Loafman was the top finisher for the Millikin men in the 200 yard freestyle in fourth.

Duesterhaus posted a second place finish in the 200 yard freestyle in her time of 2:06.54, and Atkinson was not far behind in third with a time of 2:09.84. Erin Powell finished in a scoring position, taking fifth.

Mark Miller finished in fifth in the men's 50 yard freesytle in a time of 25.66. Jason Burrow finished close behind in a time of 25.95. On the women's side, Liv Marquardt finished in second place with a time of 26.68, and Sangston came in third in 27.20. Marquardt would later post another second place finish in the 100 yard backstroke, finishing only .03 seconds behind Abby Pardridge of Wheaton. Barnes was close behind for a third place finish, followed by Sangston.

Yelaska posted a second place finish in the women's 400 yard IM in a time of 5:03.85. Kendall Rossignol and Grace Meacham each notched scoring finishes as well in fourth and fifth. Ayad took the fourth place slot in the men's race.

Carter Noyes and Kade Zanger each placed in the men's 100 yard butterfly, and Aly Barnes and Kaitlyn Mayer placed second and third on the women's side.

Meacham saw her second scoring finish of the day in the 100 yard freestyle, placing third. KJ Hamlin placed third in the men's 100 yard backstroke to score points for Millikin.

In the 500 yard freestyle, Maniago and Joe Smiley placed fourth and fifth, and Roderick and Yelaska posted second and third place finishes. Ayad and Noyes were third and fourth in the men's 100 yard backstroke.

Atkinson tallied a second place finish in the 100 yard backstroke, followed by Rossignol and Mayer in third and fourth.

Closing out the meet, the 200 yard freestyle relay team of Loafman, Smiley, Hamlin, and Burrow placed fourth, and on the women's side, the team of Barnes, Mayer, Marquardt, and Duesterhaus placed second in a close race.

The Big Blue will return to the pool at the Decatur Family YMCA for their first home meet of the season on Friday, January 21 against Illinois Wesleyan at 6:00 P.M.

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Players Mentioned

Brigid Duesterhaus: Sophomore

Liv Marquardt: Sophomore

Hope Roderick: Sophomore

Laura Atkinson: Freshman

Kaitlyn Mayer: Freshman

Kelli Sangston: Freshman

Katie Yelaska: Freshman

Omar Ayad: Junior

Kade Zanger: Junior

Jason Burrow: Freshman

Dawsen Loafman: Freshman

Justin Maniago: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Brigid Duesterhaus
: Sophomore

Liv Marquardt
: Sophomore

Hope Roderick
: Sophomore

Laura Atkinson
: Freshman

Kaitlyn Mayer
: Freshman

Kelli Sangston
: Freshman

Katie Yelaska
: Freshman

Omar Ayad
: Junior

Kade Zanger
: Junior

Jason Burrow
: Freshman

Dawsen Loafman
: Freshman

Justin Maniago
: Freshman