NAPERVILLE --- The calendar has flipped, the holiday rust is gone and the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) women’s swimming & diving season is back in full stride.
 
From record-setting swims and dominant triangular sweeps to balanced dual-meet depth and a leaderboard still firmly under Wheaton’s control, the opening weeks of the new year have delivered both standout performances and early postseason tone-setting across the conference.
 
Vikings Conquer the Tri with a Splash of History
Augustana opened the post-break portion of the schedule with a strong showing at its home triangular on last Saturday, sweeping both opponents in decisive fashion. The Vikings posted a 163-81 win over Monmouth and followed with a 182-92 victory against Coe to improve to 5-2 on the season.
 
Freshman Savannah Shapley highlighted the meet by setting a new pool record in the 200-yard butterfly, touching in a season-best 2:19.53. Shapley – named CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week on Wednesday – also captured the 200-yard individual medley (2:21.92). 
 
Kendle Mihm added sprint victories in the 50-yard freestyle (25.16) and 100-yard freestyle (54.94), while Giselle Koonce claimed the 200-yard freestyle. Presley Winters sealed the sweep on the boards with a winning score of 196.70.
 
Firebirds, Pioneers Control Dual Meets
Carthage used depth across the lineup to secure a 181-117 dual meet win over Wisconsin–Oshkosh last Saturday in Kenosha. Sophomore Emily Belcik won both the 50-yard freestyle (25.92) and 200-yard freestyle (2:01.12), while freshman Lyndsey Hackman swept the 200-yard breaststroke (2:41.45) and 200-yard IM (2:20.82). CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week Mae Norman, a sophomore, recorded personal-best scores on both the 1-meter (152.65) and 3-meter (148.15) boards.
 
Carroll picked up a 128-64 road win at Loras. Erin Fixen captured the 1000-yard freestyle in 12:04.67, while Alexandria Ostopowicz led a 1-2 finish on the 1-meter board with a score of 154.45. Carroll opened the meet with a win in the 200-yard medley relay (2:07.67) and closed with a victory in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:52.81).
 
Titans, Cardinals Resume Competition
Illinois Wesleyan totaled 16 event wins despite a 149-131 setback to Rose-Hulman last Saturday. Senior Natalie Porter was a triple winner, taking the 200-yard freestyle (2:03.48), 200-yard breaststroke (2:43.75) and 200-yard IM (2:20.45), with the IM marking a career best. Abby Schnittker added victories in the 100-yard freestyle (55.42) and 100-yard butterfly (1:01.72).
 
North Central returned to action in Chicago against Illinois Tech. The Cardinals were led by wins from Abigael Sheldon in the 200-yard IM (2:27.10) and sophomore Ayla Pequette in the 100-yard freestyle (1:01.0, season best).
 
The Leaderboard: Thunder Still Claps Across the CCIW
According to the latest CCIW Top Times listings, Wheaton continues to hold the top performance in nearly every major individual category.
 
Tess Boyer leads the CCIW in the 100-yard freestyle (53.39), 200-yard breaststroke (2:24.23), 100-yard butterfly (57.53), 200-yard butterfly (2:06.29) and both the 200-yard (2:03.72) and 400-yard (4:23.23) individual medleys. Allison Henschel tops the conference in the 200-yard (1:57.30), 500-yard (5:10.17), and 1000-yard (11:00.13) freestyle events. Aubrey Swanson holds the leading time in the 50-yard freestyle (24.28), while Savannah Jeffery (100 backstroke, 1:00.05) and Olivia Wiebe (200 backstroke, 2:10.53) sit atop their respective events.
 
Looking Toward the Horizon
CCIW teams remain active through mid-January. Augustana travels to the Grinnell Invitational this Friday and Saturday, while Illinois Wesleyan hosts a triangular with Millikin and Illinois College on Friday. On Saturday, Carthage hosts Illinois Tech, Carroll travels to Lawrence, and North Central welcomes Monmouth for a dual meet.