Millikin Senior Swimmers Win Eight of Nine Individual Events as Big Blue Men & Women Defeat North Central and Lincoln

The Big Blue men's and women's swim teams celebrated their eight seniors at the final home dual meet of the 2021-22 season on Saturday, January 29 at the Decatur Family YMCA. Hosting North Central College and Lincoln College, both the Millikin men and women were victorious in each dual. The men outscored North Central by a 130-37 margin and Lincoln by a score of 91-80. On the women's side, the Big Blue defeated North Central 165-21 and Lincoln 167-10.

Millikin began the day by honoring seniors Kathryn Cully, Brigid Duesterhaus, Madeleine Erdmann, Avery Fisher, Liv Marquardt, Hope Roderick, and Katie Yelaska.

In the first race of the afternoon, Millikin's relay team of Aly Barnes, Laura Atkinson, Marquardt, and Duesterhaus placed first in the 400 yard medley relay, followed by the team of Kelli Sangston, Kendall Rossignol, Grace Meacham, and Kaitlyn Mayer in second. On the men's side, the team of KJ Hamlin, Omar Ayad, Joe Smiley, and Justin Maniago placed second.

The women's 1000 yard freestyle was won by Wolter, beating out fellow senior Erdmann by just .03 seconds. Ayad placed second in the men's race.

Roderick picked up her first individual win of the day in the 200 yard freestyle, recording a time of 2:10.96. Shay Buchanan placed second, and Emma Cox tallied the third best time. For the men, Maniago topped the standings in a time of 1:56.28, followed by Smiley in second.

Duesterhaus won her first individual event of the day in the 50 yard freestyle. Sangston placed second, and Erin Powell came in third. On the men's side, Diogomaye Bamba placed second and Dawsen Loafman took the third slot. Kade Zanger placed fifth.

Yelaska was the victor in the women's 200 yard IM with Rossignol and Atkinson placing second and third, respectively. For the men, Carter Noyes placed second in a time of 2:26.09, and Hamlin was third.

The 100 yard butterfly race was won by the senior Marquardt. Barnes placed second, Amanda Fathman took third, and Erdmann placed fourth. In the men's race, Noyes placed second, Bamba took fourth, and Zanger placed sixth.

In the only individual women's event not won by a Millikin senior, Mayer took the top slot in the 100 yard freestyle. Meacham, Atkinson, and Rossignol followed in order. Maniago's second event win of the day was tallied in the men's race, followed by Jason Burrow in second.

Duesterhaus's second event win of the day was secured in the 100 yard backstroke, with Powell, Cox, and Sarahi Villafana taking the second through fourth place slots. Loafman placed second on the men's side and Hamlin took third.

Roderick nabbed her second individual win of the day in the 500 yard freestyle. Buchanan placed second. For the men, Smiley took second and Zanger placed fourth.

Yelaska became the third Millikin senior to post two individual victories with her win in the 100 yard breaststroke. Marquardt placed third and Brunk took sixth. In the men's race, Ayad was third and Burrow placed fourth.

In the final events of the day, the 200 yard freestyle relay team of Mayer, Meacham, Sangston, and Barnes took the top slot for the women, followed by Poewll, Kallyia Saenz, Fathman, and Villafana in second and Buchanan, Brianna Brunk, Cox, and Julia Druml in third. For the emn, the team of Noyes, Burrow, Loafman, and Bamba claimed the top spot.

The Big Blue will return to the pool for the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Conference Championship Meet starting Thursday, February 17 in Pleasant Prairie, Wis.

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Players Mentioned

Brigid Duesterhaus: Sophomore

Madeleine Erdmann: Sophomore

Avery Fisher: Sophomore

Liv Marquardt: Sophomore

Hope Roderick: Sophomore

Laura Atkinson: Freshman

Kaitlyn Mayer: Freshman

Kelli Sangston: Freshman

Katie Yelaska: Freshman

Shay Buchanan: Sophomore

Julia Druml: Sophomore

Aly Barnes: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Brigid Duesterhaus
: Sophomore

Madeleine Erdmann
: Sophomore

Avery Fisher
: Sophomore

Liv Marquardt
: Sophomore

Hope Roderick
: Sophomore

Laura Atkinson
: Freshman

Kaitlyn Mayer
: Freshman

Kelli Sangston
: Freshman

Katie Yelaska
: Freshman

Shay Buchanan
: Sophomore

Julia Druml
: Sophomore

Aly Barnes
: Freshman