Swimmers Reach Multiple Top Ten Times at MWC Meet

Stewart now 2nd in MC history in 500 Free

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (02/22/2025) — The Monmouth College swim teams are both in seventh place at the Midwest Conference Championships after Friday's events. There are two days remaining in the meet at Grinnell College. The women have 88 points after 14 events while the men have 57.

WOMEN
Caitlyn Stewart (Monmouth, Illinois) finished 11th in the 500 freestyle with a PR of 5:23.25, the second-best time in the event in Monmouth history. She earned six points for the Scots with her finish. Steward qualified 13th in the 500 freestyle with a then-PR of 5:28.22 in the prelims. Addie Smith (Monmouth, Illinois) swam a PR of 5:40.49 and Nicole Fitch (Marengo, Illinois) had a season-best 5:48.98

In the 200 IM, Allie Warren (Galesburg, Illinois) earned two points with a 15th-place finish in a time of 2:19.57. She qualified in 15th place with a PR of 2:19.21, the eighth-best time in MC history,, Aiden Bach (Stetsonville, Wisconsin) had a season-best time of 2:24.95 and Lea Schmitt (Rockford, Illinois) had a PR of 2:33.18,

In the 50 free, Cally Tate (Monmouth, Illinois) just missed qualifying for the final with a time of 26.06. Abbie Ames (Rhinelander, Wisconsin) swam 28.18 with Isabel Lynch (Rock Island, Illinois) setting a PR at 28.52 and Emily Davis (Beloit, Wisconsin) swam 33.33.

The 200 yard freestyle relay team of Tate, Smith, Warren and Fitch picked up 24 points with a seventh-place finish in 1:44.39. That time cracked the Monmouth top 10 by 0.42 seconds.

The 400 medley relay team of Tate, Warren, Stewart and Fitch earned 28 points with a fifth-placed finish in 4:10.53. The time is the fourth-best in MC history and the best tims since 2015.

On Thursday night, the women's 800 freestyle relay earned 28 points with a fifth-place finish. The team of Stewart, Smith, Warren and Fitch swam the relay in 8:21.70, the fourth-best time in Monmouth history.

MEN
In the 50 free, Tariq McLarty (South Holland, Illinois) earned three points as he finished 14th in a time of 21.74. McLarty qualified for the finals with a PR of 21.72, the fourth-best time in MC history. Bucket Youvan (Rochester, Indiana) just missed qualifying for the finals at 21.95 while Eli Wills (Blue Springs, MissourI) swam a season-best 23.55, Calvin Wellman (San Antonio, Texas) swam a PR of 24.81 and Jaydon Wilbon (Crown Point, Indiana) swam 25.33,

In the 500 yard freestyle, Jaeden Peters (Greenfield, Indiana) earned two points as he finished 15th in 5:43.65 in the final, a new season-best by three seconds. Peterws. qualified in 15th place with a swim of 5:49.22 in the prelims.

In the 200 IM, Jordan Bridgford (Kapolei, Hawai'i) swam a PR of 2:03.78, the ninth-best time in MC history and Luke Foster (Galesburg, Illinois) swam a season-best 2:05.23 but neither qualified for Friday's final.

The 200 freestyle relay team of Youvan, Foster, Wills and McLarty finished sixth in 1:28.40. The relay earned 26 points and made it into the Monmouth top 10 by less than a second.

The men's 400 medley relay team was disqualified.

The 800 freestyle relay team of Bridgford, Wills, Main and Foster took sixth on Thursday night. Their time of 7:27.09 earned the Scots 26 points.

The meet continues on Saturday with prelims at 10 a.m. and finals at 5 p.m.z