BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The electric environment in Fort Natatorium put the Illinois Wesleyan University men's and women's swim and dive teams in first when they competed Friday, Jan. 19. There were 10 Titans that held first place in their respective events. The Titans defeated both Millikin University and Illinois College.

On the women's side, five different women placed first. Senior Alexa Starkey (Normal, Ill.-Normal Community) started IWU off strong and placed first in the 1650-yard freestyle clocking in with a time of 18:59.27. Sophomore Natalie Porter (Danville, Ill.-Danville) recorded an impressive time in the 200-yard freestyle with a 2:04.60. Freshman Sam Borre (Hoffman Estates, Ill.-Conant) was the third Titan on the women's side to place first in her event, the 100-yard backstroke, with a time of 1:03.74. Junior Hadley Fudge (Stanford, Ill.-University) placed first in the 500-yard freestyle clocking in at 5:24.74. To round out the women's individual events, sophomore Kayleigh Kuschewski (Batavia, Ill.-Batavia) placed first in the 100-yard breaststroke, timing in at 1:14.22. 

The Titan women recorded impressive times in relays as well, taking home first in both relay events. Borre was joined by fellow freshman Abi Zelikman (Oakwood Hills, Ill.-Prairie Ridge) and seniors Bella Calcagno (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont) and Hannah Murray (West Chicago, Ill.-St.Charles East) to compete in the 200-yard IM relay and took first place with a time of 1:58.58. Fudge and Zelikman competed in the 200-yard freestyle relay along with freshman Olivia Kula (Pekin, Ill.-Pekin Community) and junior Emily Marks (Cary, Ill.-Cary Grove) clocking in with a time of 1:47.04. 

On the men's side, five Titans placed first in their respective events. Sophomore Sam Fogarty (Pontiac, Ill.-Pontiac Township) got the Green and White started with his victory in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:50.96. Junior Alex Kula (Pekin, Ill.-Pekin Community) continued the hot streak, taking first in the 50-yard freestyle clocking in at 22.59. Senior Ethan Lowder (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) kept the Titans rolling with his win the 100-yard freestyle clocking in at 49.61. Senior Lane Wagner (Danville, Ill.-Danville) was the fourth Titan on the men's side to place first taking home his win in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:58.61. Taking home the last win was sophomore Jay Jenkins (Aurora, Ill.-West Aurora) in the men's 100-yard breaststroke. 

Following the lead of the Titan women's squad, the men took home first place wins in both relays. Lowder, Wagner, and Fogarty competed with freshman Jack Hansen (Naperville, Ill.-Benet Academy) in the 200-yard IM relay and took first with a time of 1:40.75. Juniors Carter Dilger (Sellersburg, Ind.-Jeffersonville) and freshman Rylan Nelson (Normal, Ill.-University), along with Fogarty and Kula placed first in the 200-yard freestyle relay to finish up the meet with a time of 1:30.65.

The Titans will compete tomorrow Jan. 20 in Kenosha, Wis. against Carthage College and Illinois Institute of Technology. The meet is set to begin at 12:30 p.m.

IWU Individual Events

Women 1650-Yard Free
1. Alexa Starkey 18:59.27
2. Julianna Boyle 19:13.30

Women 200-Yard Free 
1. Natalie Porter 2:04.60
2. Lauren Feddersen 2:05.33
3. Emily Marks 2:05.75
6. Kayliegh Kuschewski 2:19.84

Men 200-Yard Free
1. Sam Fogarty 1:50.96
2. Lane Wagner 1:51.84
3. Henry Moore 1:53.87
4. Jack Hansen 1:55.49

Women 50-Yard Free
2. Hadley Fudge 26.07
3. Abi Zelikman 26.57
7. Natalie Wajda 29.97

Men 50-Yard Free
1. Alex Kula 22.59
2. Rylan Nelson 23.03
3. Donald Tichy 24.36
4. Luke Smith 24.98

Women 200-Yard IM
2. Bella Calcagno 2:27.30
3. Claire Paule 2:27.41
4. Olivia Kula 2:33.61
5. Sydney Dunlap 2:42.99

Men 200-Yard IM 
2. Carter Dilger 2:05.17
3. Ethan Lowder 2:07.16
4. Colin McKibben 2:15.70

Women 100-Yard Fly
2. Kayleigh Kuschewski 1:06.50 
3. Olivia Kula 1:11.27
6. Julianna Boyle 1:15.45

Men 100-Yard Fly 
3. Colin McKibben 59.69
4. Luke Smith 1:00.43

Women 100-Yard Free
2. Emily Marks 56.55
3. Bella Calcagno 58.38
4. Alexa Starkey 1:00.75

Men 100-Yard Free
1. Ethan Lowder 49.61
2. Rylan Nelson 51.30
3. Jack Hansen 51.98
4. Henry Moore 53.39

Women 100-Yard Back 
1. Sam Borre 1:03.74
4. Hannah Murray 1:08.62
6. Lauren Feddersen 1:10.44

Men 100-Yard Back 
2. Carter Dilger 56.49
4. Donald Tichy 1:12.02

Women 500-Yard Free
1. Hadley Fudge 5:34.74
2. Claire Paule 5:39.67

Men 500-Yard Free 
1. Lane Wagner 4:58.61
2. Alex Kula 5:10.69

Women 100-Yard Breaststroke
1. Kayleigh Kuschewski 1:14.22
2. Natalie Porter 1:14.53
6. Sydney Dunlap 1:20.98
 
Men 100-Yard Breaststroke 
1. Jay Jenkins 1:03.89