NAPERVILLE — With the regular season closing last weekend, College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) men’s swimming & diving programs completed the final weekend of competition with invitationals and Senior Day duals across the region. 
 
Results included a conference-leading team performance in Kenosha and a record-setting 1000-yard freestyle in Rock Island. The weekend provided the final set of race conditions before the CCIW Championships in Pleasant Prairie.
 
Firebirds Set the Lakefront Ablaze at Wisconsin Private Championships
Carthage won the Wisconsin Private College Championships last Friday and Saturday at the Koenitzer Aquatic Center, scoring 331.50 points to finish ahead of MSOE (195). The Firebirds won every relay event, including the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:27.88) and 400-yard freestyle relay (3:12.78).
 
CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week AJ Landorf won three individual events, taking the 400-yard IM (4:17.20), 100-yard backstroke (52.02) and 200-yard butterfly (1:56.80, personal best). In diving, Taydin Murphy swept both boards, winning the 1-meter (408.35) and 3-meter (427.30). Additional event wins included Adam Hollis in the 50-yard freestyle (22.02, personal best) and Sean Noller in the 1650-yard freestyle (17:42.34).
 
Vikings Conquer the Thunder in Western Illinois Clash
Augustana defeated Wheaton, 140-100, last Saturday in a Senior Day dual in Rock Island. Augustana opened the meet by taking the top two spots in the 200-yard medley relay, led by Cesar Castillo, Matthew Meyer, Jake McCormack and Lucas Rettig in 1:32.24.
 
Tyler Leslie won the 100-yard freestyle (46.09) and placed second in the 1000-yard freestyle. Emanuel Anguelov won the 200-yard freestyle (1:43.55) and placed second in the 100-yard butterfly.
 
Wheaton posted the top individual swim of the meet as Isaac Eilmes set an Augustana pool record in the 1000-yard freestyle, finishing in 9:51.98. Jac Cummings won the 50-yard freestyle (21.83) and Jed Ritchie won both the 200-yard IM (2:00.44) and 500-yard freestyle (4:54.41). In diving, Wheaton’s Mateo Anderson won the 1-meter event with a 197.05, which ranks second on the CCIW season list.
 
Senior Send-offs and Sprint Success in Bloomington
Illinois Wesleyan closed the regular season last Saturday with a 108-58 win over Monmouth on Senior Day. Seniors Jay Jenkins and Jacob Nacional each won three events. Jenkins won the 1650-yard freestyle (19:42.42) and also took first in the 50-yard backstroke (25.88) and 50-yard freestyle (22.75). Nacional won the 100-yard butterfly (56.07) and the 50-yard butterfly (24.93, career best).
 
Millikin competed at Illinois College on Saturday and fell 137-58. Dawsen Loafman won the 50-yard freestyle (22.61) and 100-yard butterfly (57.64). Alex Tabuchi placed second in the 400-yard IM (4:59.41). Carroll closed the regular season at the Wisconsin Private College Championships, placing fifth with 46 points. Jonah Lotegeluaki placed ninth in the 100-yard freestyle (51.16) and Thomas Rynne placed eighth in the 200-yard backstroke (2:10.45).
 
By the Numbers: Who holds the keys to the RecPlex?
Entering the championship stretch, Wheaton’s Ben Coley holds the conference’s top times in the 100-yard freestyle (45.74) and 200-yard freestyle (1:39.88). Augustana’s Bjorn Sievert leads the CCIW in the 50-yard freestyle (20.94). Wheaton’s Jac Cummings leads the conference in the 50-yard backstroke (23.30) and 100-yard backstroke (50.93), with Carthage’s AJ Landorf also among the top times following his late-January results.
 
In distance freestyle, Isaac Eilmes (Wheaton) leads the conference in the 1000-yard freestyle (9:51.98) and 1650-yard freestyle (16:12.25), with Tyler Leslie (Augustana) also among the top performers in both events. In breaststroke, Carthage’s Tyson Politsch holds the conference’s top time in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:05.77).
 
The CCIW Championship schedule begins with diving Feb. 13-14 at Carthage, followed by swimming Feb. 18-21 at the Pleasant Prairie RecPlex.