EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Grace Cummings recorded the win in the 500-yard Freestyle and the Sycamores set two school records and recorded three podium finishes as Indiana State opened up the Missouri Valley Swimming and Diving Championships on Wednesday inside the Deaconess Aquatic Center.
 
Cummings, seeded second in the 500-yard Freestyle event following her morning swim, took the early lead in the evening's A-Finals and pulled away from the field in her first conference individual title. Cummings finished in 4:45.98 to break the Indiana State record of 4:46.65 set by Claire Parsons earlier this season at the Miami Invitational on her way to winning the event by nearly 2.5 seconds over UIC's Madison Helmick.
 
The Sycamores added a new school record in the 200-yard Freestyle Relay in the team's second-place finish in the event, while Kaleigh Kelley placed third overall in the 50-yard Freestyle to highlight the opening day.
 
Wednesday Evening Recap
Indiana State opened up the evening with a school record in the 200-yard Freestyle Relay as Kaleigh Kelley, Raine Boles, Erin Cummins, and Kalli Agapios finished on the podium with a time of 1:30.69. Their time topped last season's mark of 1:30.81 set at the MVC Championships as the Sycamores placed second overall in the field.
 
Grace Cummings picked up the Sycamores' first individual championship in the pool in the 500-yard Freestyle as the Kent, England freshman broke the school record in the event. Cummings went out in 4:45.98 to win the event by nearly three seconds in claiming the win.
 
Claire Parsons (4:52.93) and Erin Cummins (4:54.18) finished fourth and sixth overall in the event while competing in the A-Finals. Maria Saldana Riebeling won the B-Finals flight with a time of 4:51.55 to lead Haley Halsall (4:56.82) and Peyton Heagy (5:00.33) in the field. Anna Asplund finished 18th in 5:01.85.
 
Ali Pearson was the lone Sycamore in the 200-yard IM field with the graduate student placing seventh overall in the A-Finals. Pearson went out in 2:05.04 to place seventh overall in the field.
 
Kaleigh Kelley was just off her Indiana State school record pace in the 50-yard Freestyle event with a time of 22.88 to finish third overall in the field. Raine Boles placed 12th in 23.24, while Kalli Agapios (23.87) and Sahara Visscher (24.33) took on the C-Finals field.
 
Indiana State wrapped up the first evening in the 400-yard Medley Relay where the group of Sahara Visscher, Ali Pearson, Raine Boles, and Kaleigh Kelley went 3:41.36 to place fourth overall in the field.
 
Wednesday Evening Results
200-yard Freestyle Relay: 2nd – Kaleigh Kelley, Raine Boles, Erin Cummins, Kalli Agapios (1:30.69 – Indiana State School Record)
500-yard Freestyle: MVC Champion - Grace Cummings (4:45.98); Claire Parsons (4:52.93, 4th), Erin Cummins (4:54.18, 6th), Maria Saldana Riebeling (4:51.55, 9th), Haley Halsall (4:56.82, 11th), Peyton Heagy (5:00.33, 16th), Anna Asplund (5:01.85, 18th)
200-yard IM: 7th – Ali Pearson (2:05.04)
50-yard Freestyle: 3rd – Kaleigh Kelley (22.88); Raine Boles (23.24, 12th), Kalli Agapios (23.87, 19th), Sahara Visscher (24.33, 24th)
400-yard Medley Relay: 4th – Sahara Visscher, Ali Pearson, Raine Boles, Kaleigh Kelley (3:41.36)
 
Wednesday Morning Recap
Indiana State opened up the 2026 Missouri Valley Swimming and Diving Championship by claiming nearly one third of the 24-woman field in the evening's 500-yard Freestyle Finals. The Sycamores placed three in the A-Finals, three in the B-Finals, and one in the C-Finals as all seven Indiana State swimmers advanced to the evening session.
 
Grace Cummings (4:51.12), Erin Cummins (4:52.80), and Claire Parsons (4:54.56) finished second, third, and fourth respectively in the morning's prelim to secure their spot in the A-Finals. Maria Saldana Riebeling (4:56.58) is the leader in the B-Finals after placing ninth in the prelims, where she will be joined by Peyton Heagy (4:59.53, 13th), and Haley Halsall (5:00.22, 15th). Anna Asplund will lead the C-Finals after placing 17th in the field in 5:03.51.
 
Ali Pearson will be Indiana State's lone representative in the evening's finals in the 200-yard IM as the graduate student placed eighth overall in the field with a time of 2:04.00 to advance in the A-Finals. Jenna Nave (2:09.63), Sara Keefe (2:11.96), Ella Moustgaard (2:06.76), and Elle Santucci (2:09.39) also competed over the morning session.
 
Four more Sycamores advanced to the evening's finals as Kaleigh Kelley, Raine Boles, Kalli Agapios, and Sahara Visscher will take on the field in the 50-yard Freestyle after the morning's prelim session. Kelley advanced to the A-Finals after placing fourth overall in the field with a time of 23.13. Boles will represent the Sycamores in the B-Finals after going 23.39 to finish 12th, while Agapios (23.91) and Visscher (23.96) finished 19th and 21st respectively.
 
Sophia Diaz (24.50), Allie Barasch (24.14), Rachel Stutz (24.23), and Kate Reeves (24.81) also competed in the event for the Sycamores in the morning.
 
Morning Finals Qualifiers
500-yard Freestyle: A-Finals – Grace Cummings (4:51.12), Erin Cummins (4:52.80), Claire Parsons (4:54.56); B-Finals – Maria Saldana Riebeling (4:56.58), Peyton Heagy (4:59.53), Haley Halsall (5:00.22); C-Finals – Anna Asplund (5:03.51);
200-yard IM: A-Finals – Ali Pearson (2:04.00);
50-yard Freestyle: A-Finals – Kaleigh Kelley (23.13); B-Finals – Raine Boles (23.39); C-Finals – Kalli Agapios (23.91), Sahara Visscher (23.96));
 
Up Next
The Indiana State swimming and diving continues the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Swimming and Diving Championships inside the Deaconess Aquatic Center over February 25-28 in Evansville, Ind.
 
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