Five Top-10 Marks Tallied On Day One of House of Champions

Neaveill records second-place finish in first day of three-day meet

INDIANAPOLIS – Western Illinois set five new top-10 times in school history on Thursday (Nov. 18) in day one of the three-day House of Champions meet at the IUPUI Natatorium. At the end of the first day of competition, the Leatherneck men rank sixth out of 12 teams with 182 points, while the women sit 10th with 104 points.

Western Illinois' best finish of the day came in the men's 100-fly. Chris Neaveill raced to a second-place touch in 49.14, as one of two swimmers to break his previous meet record of 49.21 set on Nov. 23, 2013. In the same event, Samir Almhiemid's 51.23 time in the prelims was the 10th-best in program history.

Sophomore Chance McQuigg came in seventh in the 200-IM, with a finals time of 1:52.29. Meanwhile, Western's quartet of Brennan Bladel, McQuigg, Neaveill and Almhiemid raced the 400-medley relay in 3:23.80, the third-best in school history.

Three Western Illinois women etched their names into the top-10 lists in school history. Freshman Casey Roberts' 24:28 swim in the 50-free registered the fifth-best touch in Purple and Gold history. Fellow first-year Miranda Mathus' 58.18 time in the 100-fly prelims marked the sixth-best in program history. In the 200-IM Erica Hagen raced to a 2:11.33 time, also the sixth-fastest in WIU history.

Day two of the House of Champions begins with Saturday's 10 a.m. morning session, featuring the 400-IM, 200-free, 100-breast, 100-back and diving events. The 6 p.m. evening session will highlight the 200-medley relay, 400-IM, 200-free, 100-breast, 100-back and 800-free finals.

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Players Mentioned

Samir Almhiemid: Fly/Back; Sophomore; Chelsea

Chance McQuigg: Breast/IM; Sophomore; Richwoods

Chris Neaveill: Sprint Free/Fly; Senior; Peoria Notre Dame

Erica Hagen: Breast/Sprint Free; Sophomore; Lisle

Brennan Bladel: Fly/IM/Back; Freshman; Davenport North

Miranda Mathus: Fly/IM/Free; Freshman; Peoria Notre Dame

Casey Roberts: Sprint Free; Freshman; Naperville Central

Players Mentioned

Samir Almhiemid
: Sophomore; Chelsea
: Fly/Back

Chance McQuigg
: Sophomore; Richwoods
: Breast/IM

Chris Neaveill
: Senior; Peoria Notre Dame
: Sprint Free/Fly

Erica Hagen
: Sophomore; Lisle
: Breast/Sprint Free

Brennan Bladel
: Freshman; Davenport North
: Fly/IM/Back

Miranda Mathus
: Freshman; Peoria Notre Dame
: Fly/IM/Free

Casey Roberts
: Freshman; Naperville Central
: Sprint Free