NAPERVILLE — With the regular season coming to a close, College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) women’s swimming & diving programs wrapped up the final weekend of competition last weekend with a mix of dual meets and invitationals across the region. 
 
Pool records fell in Rock Island, Carthage posted a strong team finish in Kenosha and Illinois Wesleyan marked Senior Day in Bloomington as the conference moved from regular-season results to postseason preparation. The final weekend served as the last full set of meet conditions before the CCIW Championship later this month.
 
Record-Breaking Reciprocity in Rock Island
One week after Augustana visited Wheaton, the Thunder traveled to Rock Island on Saturday for a competitive regular-season finale. Augustana earned the team win, 123-110, but Wheaton posted multiple record-setting performances at the Anne Greve Lund Natatorium.
 
All-American Tess Boyer set two pool records, first in the 100-yard butterfly (57.75) and later in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:08.07). Boyer currently leads the CCIW season list in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:08.07) and 200-yard breaststroke (2:24.23), along with both individual medley events.
 
Wheaton senior Olivia Wiebe also turned in a record swim, breaking a 2021 pool mark in the 1000-yard freestyle with a time of 10:42.75. Wiebe holds the top time in the conference this season in the 1000-yard and 1650-yard freestyle events.
 
For Augustana, Kendle Mihm won both sprint freestyle events, taking the 50-yard freestyle (24.77) and 100-yard freestyle (53.94). The Vikings also won the 200-yard freestyle relay as Sophia Warren, Caitlin Stoddard, Mya Pheneger and Mihm finished in 1:40.96.
 
The Skalski Special: A Kenosha Conquest
Carthage defended its home pool last Friday and Saturday, winning the Wisconsin Private College Championships with 286 points. The Firebirds were led by freshman Brie Skalski, who won three events during the meet. Skalski captured the 500-yard freestyle (5:23.75), the 400-yard IM (4:56.45) and the 1650-yard freestyle (18:57.16). Her 400-yard IM time ranks among the top five in the CCIW this season.
 
Carthage also received event wins from Lucy Brown in the 50-yard freestyle (25.49), Jill Kane in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:09.17) and Addison Shaffer in the 200-yard butterfly (2:19.94), a personal best. The Firebirds closed the meet with relay wins in the 200-yard medley relay (1:55.10) and the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:44.57).
 
Senior Salutes and Hat Tricks in Bloomington
Illinois Wesleyan closed the regular season on Saturday with a 180-48 win over Monmouth on Senior Day. The Titans recognized seniors Julianna Boyle, Kayleigh Kuschewski and Natalie Porter prior to the meet.
 
Porter delivered three individual wins, taking the 200-yard freestyle (2:03.04), the 50-yard breaststroke (35.01) and the 500-yard freestyle (5:20.01). Her 500-yard freestyle time currently ranks fourth on the CCIW season list. Sophomore Isabella Cano matched that three-win output, winning the 100-yard butterfly (1:04.18), the 100-yard freestyle (59.51) and the 50-yard butterfly (28.46).
 
Illinois Wesleyan also had Ellen Hoover win the 200-yard IM in a personal-best 2:19.41, while Kuschewski swept the backstroke events by winning the 50-yard and 100-yard backstroke.
 
Pioneer Persistence and Big Blue Breakthroughs
Carroll and Millikin each recorded individual highlights during the final weekend of January.
 
At the Wisconsin Private College Championships, Carroll finished sixth overall. Erin Fixen placed fourth in the 1650-yard freestyle (19:48.42) and eighth in the 400-yard IM (5:22.70). Natalie Oldenburg added a fourth-place finish in the 200-yard backstroke (2:23.71).
 
Millikin competed at Illinois College on Saturday and received two event wins from freshman Audrey Korniak, who won the 200-yard freestyle (2:08.47) and the 100-yard butterfly (1:03.78). Freshman Becka Dunakey won the 100-yard freestyle (57.12) and added second-place finishes in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard breaststroke.
 
The Final Countdown: Destination Pleasant Prairie
The conference now turns to the postseason calendar. The diving portion of the CCIW Championship is scheduled for Feb. 13 and 14 at Carthage. The swimming championships will follow Feb. 18-21 at the Pleasant Prairie RecPlex.
 
Wheaton’s Aubrey Swanson enters the postseason with the conference’s top time in the 50-yard freestyle (24.28). Tess Boyer remains among the conference’s top performers in the breaststroke and IM events and has posted multiple NCAA “B” cut qualifying times. Carthage and Augustana both closed the regular season with results that indicate depth across events heading into Pleasant Prairie.