2023 MVC Fan Guide: Indiana State Poised To Overthrow 6x Defending Champs Missouri State

2023 Missouri Valley Championships (Women)

• Wednesday, February 15 – Saturday, February 18, 2023
• CRWC Natatorium, Iowa City, IA
• Defending Champion: Missouri State (6x)
• Live results on MeetMobile: “2023 MVC Swimming & Diving Championships”
• Live Video
• Championship Central

Event Schedule

Wednesday

• 200 medley relay
• 800 freestyle relay

Thursday

• 500 freestyle
• 200 IM
• 50 freestyle
• 1-meter diving
• 200 freestyle relay

Friday

• 100 butterfly
• 400 IM
• 200 freestyle
• 100 breaststroke
• 100 backstroke
• 3-meter diving (9-16)
• 400 medley relay

Saturday

• 1650 freestyle
• 200 backstroke
• 100 freestyle
• 200 breaststroke
• 200 butterfly
• 3-meter diving (1-8)
• 400 freestyle relay

The Missouri Valley Swimming & Diving Championships will kick off next Wednesday in Iowa City, Iowa. Missouri State has remained in control of the conference for the last two decades. Last year, they secured their 6th straight conference title to make it 18 total titles in the last 20 years. 

The MVC has two new member schools this year that will likely shake up the team battle. UIC makes the move from the Horizon League, while Marshall has joined as a provisional member as they wait for the Sun Belt Conference to officially add women’s swimming and diving. 

Returning NCAA Qualifiers

Celia Pulido (Southern Illinois): Pulido was one of two MVC athletes to make the NCAA Championships last season, but is the only one to return this year. As a freshman, she qualified for NCAAs in the 100 and 200 backstroke, making her the first athlete from SIU since 2010 to make the meet. At NCAAs, she ended up placing 31st in the 100 (52.49) and 35th in the 200 (1:54.55), with both swims just off her season bests. This year, Pulido dominates the conference again in her events, as she holds the fastest times in the 100 back (52.51), 200 back (1:55.97), and 200 IM (2:00.74). 

Showdowns

100 Free – A tight 5-way race is shaping up in this event, with UIC senior Poleena Kovalaske and Illinois State’s Emma Feltzer sitting at the top this year, tied at 50.73. Just behind them is Little Rock’s Jaelle Carlson (50.75), Missouri State’s Sami Roemer (50.76) and Jordan  Wenner (50.77). Last year, Wenner earned 3rd at 50.18, while Feltzer was 6th at 50.87. 

100 Fly – The top four athletes in the conference so far this year are within a second of each other, led by Indiana State’s Marni Gray at 54.16. Gray placed 3rd in this event in 2022 with a 54.82. Behind her is Missouri State’s Sami Roemer, who placed 2nd last year. Roemer has been as fast as 54.32 this season, and will likely be Gray’s biggest challenge for the title.

400 IM – Olivia Herron from Southern Illinois leads the conference so far this year with a 4:19.41. Trailing her by just a second is Marshall’s Eszter Laban (4:20.54) and Indiana State’s Dorotea Bukvic (4:20.64). Surprisingly, none of these athletes were in the top-8 last season, so it could really be anyone’s race. 

800 Free Relay – Ironically, the longest relay is the closest in terms of times swum so far this year. Missouri State owns the top spot in the conference at 7:30.88, while Indiana State is just 0.06 hundredths behind at 7:30.94. Lineups can change between November and February, but it will likely be a close race nonetheless. 

SwimSwam Picks:

1. Indiana State
2. Missouri State
3. Southern Illinois
4. Marshall
5. Illinois State
6. UIC
7. Northern Iowa
8. Little Rock
9. Evansville
10. Valparaiso

Missouri State does not look nearly as solid as they have in the past since losing top-scorers like Anna Miller and Liberty Howell. Indiana State has similar depth to the Bears, but has had stronger diver and relay performances so far this season. Behind them, Southern Illinois also looks strong and could also challenge for the title, especially with Pulido and Herron leading in multiple events.

Behind them is a tight battle for the middle spots, especially with UIC and Marshall new to the conference. Marshall is led by Eszter Laban, who is projected to win the distance freestyle events.