The Valpo women’s and men’s swimming teams took to the pool on Saturday against in-state competition at the annual Indiana Intercollegiates, hosted by Purdue in West Lafayette. The meet featured three Beacon swimmers cracking the program’s record book, among a number of strong swims.

How It Happened

• Two Valpo women found their way onto the program’s top-10 chart in the 100 IM on Saturday. Freshman Dot Chislett (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) posted a time of 1:05.55, fourth-best in program history in the event, while junior Morgan Markley (Bluffton, Ind./Norwell) moved into ninth position with a time of 1:07.62.
• The men had a swimmer move into the top-10 in the same event as well, as senior Billy Bennett (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) touched the wall in 56.29, ninth-fastest in program history.
• Bennett was also one of four men’s swimmers with individual top-15 finishes on Saturday, tying for the team’s best finish with an 11^th-place showing in the 100 breast as he finished in 1:00.16.
• Senior Dominic May (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) also claimed an 11^th-place finish with a time of 21.64 in the 50 free. Freshman Ethan Welker (Clear Spring, Md./Saint James School) finished the 500 free in 5:04.09, good for 12^th position, while senior Derek Eidson (Ventura, Calif./Ventura) placed 14^th in the 100 free with a time of 49.85.
• The Valpo men had a strong relay performance to close out the meet, coming in fifth place in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:27.74. May swam a final leg of 21.07 in that relay, second-fastest among anchor leg swimmers only to Purdue.
• Freshman Bridget Pollard (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) registered the best finish by position for the Valpo women Saturday, coming in 17^th place in the 500 free with a time of 5:33.33.
• Two other women recorded 25^th-place finishes — Markley in the 100 free with a time of 58.58, and freshman Sara Strauss (Spring Lake, Mich./Spring Lake) in the 100 breast with a time of 1:13.48.
• As a team, the Beacons placed seventh on the men’s side and ninth on the women’s side.

Next Up

Valpo hosts the first of its three home meets this season next Saturday when it welcomes Eastern Illinois to the Valparaiso Aquatic Center at Valpo H.S. The meet is slated for a 1 p.m. start.