The Valpo women’s swimming team continued the 2024 MVC Championships in Evansville, Ind. on Thursday, competing in the second day of action.

How It Happened

• Valpo’s 200 free relay squad of freshman Avery Ball (Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley), freshman Faith Bargwell (Grand Rapids, Mich./Rockford), freshman Bri Keese (Brighton, Colo./Brighton) and junior Haley Hume (Ballwin, Mo./Marquette) came home in 1:38.85, less than two-tenths of a second from the program’s top-10 chart.
• Sophomore Emma Schmidt (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley) paced the Beacon contingent in Thursday’s 500 free prelims, posting a team season-best time of 5:17.38.
• Freshman Olivia Tressler (Las Vegas, Nev./Desert Oasis) led Valpo in the prelims of the 200 IM, slicing nearly a second off her season best in the event as she touched the wall in 2:15.53.
• Keese lowered her season best in the 50 free by over four-tenths of a second with a prelim swim of 24.89 to lead the Beacons.
• A number of Valpo swimmers also had time trail swims on Thursday, highlighted by sophomore Natalie Eaton (Tulsa, Okla./Jenks) covering the 50 breast in 31.14 — less than a tenth of a second outside the program’s all-time top-five.
• The Beacons closed the day in ninth place in the team standings with 124 points.

Next Up

Valpo returns to the pool on Friday for the third day of competition, with prelims beginning at 10:30 a.m. and finals getting underway at 6 p.m.