PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's and women's swimming and diving teams completed day two of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Swimming and Diving Championships, coming away with two all-conference performances Thursday, Feb. 19 at the RecPlex in Pleasant Prairie, Wis.

Senior Natalie Porter (Danville, Ill.-Danville) earned her third career CCIW individual title and first in the 500-yard freestyle race. After touching under a second behind Wheaton's Allison Henschel in the morning prelims, Porter saved her career-best time for the finals. Porter's league title is the first in the women's 500-yard freestyle since Ellen Gilbert in 2022. Behind a time of 5:06.03, Porter bested Henschel by over four seconds to earn the Titans their first event win of the meet. Junior Claire Paule (Godfrey, Ill.-Alton) narrowly missed the podium in the event, touching in career-best fashion, 5:17.70 to garner fourth-place. 

Freshman Ellen Hoover (Naperville, Ill.-Naperville Central) reached the podium by way of a personal-best time in the 200 IM. After posting a third-place finish in the prelims, Hoover held strong in the finals, posting a 2:12.06 time and earning the first All-CCIW honors of her career. Senior Kayleigh Kuschewski (Batavia, Ill.-Batavia) and junior Sam Borre (Hoffman Estates, Ill.-James B. Conant) followed in fourth and fifth-place, posting times of 2:13.28 and 2:15.74, respectively. 

In the men's 500-yard freestyle race, sophomore Tate Thomas (Joliet, Ill.-Joliet West) posted a career-best time, 4:44.05 which was good for fifth-place in the finals. Also finishing in the fifth position was freshman Abby Schnittker (Lombard, Ill.-Willowbrook) in the 50-freestyle finals, touching in 24.78 which marks the fastest performance by a Titan in the event this season. 

In the men's 400-yard medley relay, Thomas, along with fellow sophomores Ben Huk (Des Plaines, Ill.-Maine West) and Jacob Nacional (Bolingbrook, Ill.-Bolingbrook) along with senior Jay Jenkins (Aurora, Ill.-West Aurora) finished in fourth-place, touching at 3:35.93 which marks the group's fastest time of the season. 

In the final event of the day, the women's 400-yard medley relay, Borre, Kuschewski, Hoover, and Schnittker teamed up to take third-place in the event. Finishing with a season-best time of 4:03.47, the group recorded its fastest time of the season by nearly 15 seconds. 

Action from Pleasant Prairie, Wis. continues tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 20, with prelims beginning at 10:30 a.m.


IWU Individual Results
*indicates personal best

Women's 50 Free - Prelims
6. Abby Schnittker, 25.08 
14. Isabella Cano, 25.88 
19. Julia Jozwiak, 26.68 

Women's 500 Free - Prelims
2. Natalie Porter, 5:11.55
6. Claire Paule, 5:22.11
14. Julianna Boyle, 5:35.39
18. Emilee Spicer, 5:56.45

Women's 200 IM - Prelims
3. Ellen Hoover, 2:14.93
4. Kayleigh Kuschewski, 2:15.08
6. Sam Borre, 2:15.55*
19. Libby Hamer, 2:38.43*

Men's 50 Free - Prelims
14. Jay Jenkins, 22.06*
16. Ben Huk, 23.15

Men's 500 Free - Prelims
6. Tate Thomas, 4:48.23

Men's 500 Free - Finals
5. Tate Thomas, 4:44.05*

Women's 500 Free - Finals
1. Natalie Porter, 5:06.03*
4. Claire Paule, 5:17.70*
13. Julianna Boyle, 5:34.42

Men's 50 Free - Finals
14. Jay Jenkins, 22.06*
16. Ben Huk, 23.08

Women's 50 Free - Finals
5. Abby Schnittker, 24.78*
15. Isabella Cano, 25.98

Women's 200 IM - Finals
3. Ellen Hoover, 2:12.06*
4. Kayleigh Kuschewski, 2:13.28*
5. Sam Borre, 2:15.74