Sophomore swimmer Bryn Handley said she feels bad for whoever has to change the record board inside the Edward J. Shea Natatorium.

There were two events swam in Day One of the MVC Swimming and Diving Championship, the 200-yard medley relay and the 800-yard freestyle relay. In both events, SIU set a school record.

The 800-yard freestyle team of sophomore Kelsie Walker, junior Lauren Stockton, senior Helena Amorim and Handley finished the race four seconds ahead of the Missouri State team. But when Handley dove into the water as the last swimmer for the SIU team, she was trailing Missouri State by less than a second.

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“Bryn is not the one you want to go up against in the last leg of a relay — absolutely not — and thats why we put her there,” coach Rick Walker said. “She is a rabid dog as an anchor.”

Handley secured the victory for the Salukis and set the school record for a second time. The team’s 7:16.6 finish broke its own record from 2015 by more than two seconds.

The 200-yard medley team of junior Sarah James, sophomore Liane Tatigian, freshman Emma Brazeau and sophomore McKenna Avery set a new school record of 1:43.01, breaking the previous record set in the 1985 season by .8 seconds. 

“I didn’t know we broke it until our assistant coach [Elise Knoche] came up to us and said ‘School record, huh?’,” Avery said. “We didn’t know because it’s not up on the board.”

The 200-yard medley team took third overall behind teams from Northern Iowa and Missouri State.

“We made some mistakes in the medley relay, but how can you gripe about mistakes when you set a school record?” Walker said.

SIU is currently tied for first place in the team standings with Northern Iowa. Both teams have 72 points. In third is Missouri State with 68.

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“Historically we just do better throughout the meet,” Walker said. “It’s times like this I just breath a sigh of relief, because I know we’re there.”

There are still three days left in the meet. The action resumes 11 a.m. Thursday in the Edward J. Shea Natatorium in the Recreation center.

Evan Jones can be reached at [email protected] or at (618)-536-3304