Illinois State Swim & Dive defeat Quincy in season opener

Image courtesy of Illinois State Athletics

NORMAL, Ill. — The Redbird swim and dive team hosted the Quincy Hawks for the first meet of the season on Friday, Oct. 2, at Horton Pool. Kicking off the 2026-27 season with a 187-69 victory, the Redbirds took home 14 event victories and two relay wins, with seven swimmers snagging a collective total of 12 individual event wins.

Freshman Freya Hingston dominated both butterfly events, placing first in both the 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly, with respective times of 58.41 and 2:10.02. Hingston was not the only Redbird to take home multiple individual event victories. Teammate Hailey Fris, a junior, won both the 100 backstroke (58.77) and 200 backstroke (2:09.74). Alex Davis also placed first in both of her events, winning the 50 free in 24.99 and the 100 free in 53.87. Sophomore Ava Ostendorf brought two individual event victories home as well with her breaststroke sweep in the 100 (1:05.22) and the 200 (2:22.63).

Molly Allison not only won the 200 free with a time of 1:53.76, but she finished the race with a new personal best. Sylvia Admire took home an individual win in the 500 free (5:23.17), and Hope Westphal scored another free event victory for the Redbirds with her 1,000 free finish of 11:02.83. Yet another freshman Redbird, Julia Bartula, placed first in her individual event, the 200 medley (2:11.90).

As a team, the Redbirds reigned victorious over the Hawks in both relay events. Davis, Gott, Hingston and Admire united for a first-place 200 free finish. In the 200 medley relay, Fris, Ostendorf, Hingston and Davis secured the relay victory.

Following their opening victory, the Redbirds will compete against Indiana State in a Missouri Valley Conference meet on Friday, Oct. 9. The meet will take place in the Vigo County Aquatic Center, beginning at 5 p.m.