Southern Illinois Swim Team Dominates MVC Weekly Honors
ST. LOUIS – The Southern Illinois swimming and diving team made waves this week as three of its star athletes were recognized with prestigious Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) honors. Alex Santiago claimed the title of Men’s Swimmer of the Week, while teammate Willem Huggins was honored as Men’s Freshman of the Week. Additionally, Liseska Gallegos was named Women’s Freshman of the Week.
Santiago showcased exceptional talent at the recent A3 Performance Invitational, securing seven first-place finishes in the "A" finals. His remarkable performances included setting MVC records in the 50-yard freestyle with a blistering time of 19.65 seconds and the 100-yard freestyle at 44.14 seconds. Furthermore, he contributed to setting records in multiple relay events, including the 400-yard freestyle, 200-yard medley, and 200-yard freestyle relays. This achievement marks Santiago’s second Swimmer of the Week accolade this season.
Huggins, securing the Freshman of the Week honor for the second time this season, excelled with six first-place and one second-place finish at the same invitational. He made headlines by setting an MVC record in the 200-yard backstroke with an impressive time of 1:44.85 and played a pivotal role in the team’s record-setting relay performances.
Gallegos also shone brightly, achieving personal bests and landing three second-place finishes in the "A" finals. Her notable times included a 2:01.88 in the 200-yard individual medley, 1:57.92 in the 200-yard backstroke, and 53.93 in the 100-yard backstroke. This is Gallegos’ second MVC weekly award of the season.
For updates and more information about the Salukis, fans can follow the team on social media platforms and download the "Salukis" mobile app available on both the App Store and Google Play Store.
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