TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Ten Indiana State swimmers are heading down to Ocala, Fla. and the 2026 CSCAA National Invitational Championship this week as the Sycamores head into postseason competition at the Florida Aquatics Swimming & Training facility in Ocala, Fla. over March 12-14.
 
Kalli Agapios, Kaleigh Kelley, Erin Cummins, Raine Boles, Ali Pearson, Claire Parsons, Maria Saldana Riebeling, Gemma Dilks, Addison Johnson, and Anna Asplund all turned in qualifying times to advance to the CSCAA NIC this season. The 10 athletes join Jecza Lopez (NCAA Zone C Qualifiers) and Grace Cummings (NCAA Qualifier – 1650-yard Freestyle) in competing in postseason competition this spring.
 
The three-day event will feature preliminary sessions starting at 9:30 a.m. ET, while finals will start at 6 p.m. ET.
 
"The NIC is a great postseason opportunity for our program to go compete against teams from across the nation," head coach Josh Christensen said. "We always have some really good swims at this meet and use it as another learning and growth opportunity as we continue to build our program."
 
Indiana State is coming off its second consecutive Missouri Valley Conference Swimming & Diving Championship after topping the field two weeks ago at the Deaconess Aquatic Center in Evansville, Ind. The Sycamores totaled 1,236 points across the four-day meet to hold off Southern Illinois (1,161) and Missouri State (1,117) for the title.
 
Overall, Indiana State featured four individual title winners at the meet with Grace Cummings (500 Free, 1650 Free), Ali Pearson (100 Breast), and Jecza Lopez (1M Springboard) all recording titles. The Sycamores also topped the field in the 200-yard Medley Relay.
 
Indiana State also placed 10 athletes on the MVC All-Conference First Team, with an additional 10 earning Honorable Mention over the four days in the water with Asplund, Boles, Cummings, Haley Halsall, Kelley, Lopez, Parsons, Pearson, Riebeling, Sahara Visscher, Agapios, Cummins, Sophia Diaz, and Johnson all garnering postseason accolades.
 
The Sycamores look to build off last year's success in Florida as Indiana State posted a program-best ninth-place finish at the 2025 CSCAA NIC. The team accumulated 334 points with the Sycamores putting 14 swimmers in either the A-Finals or B-Finals over the three-day event.
 
Indiana State's efforts in the pool featured the Sycamores recording top five finishes in the 1000 Free (Erin Cummins), 1650 Free (Claire Parsons), and the 400-yard Freestyle Relay. Cummins earned the Sycamores' first podium finish at the CSCAA's after turning in the third-fastest time overall in the 1000-yard Freestyle.
 
The schedule for the 2026 CSCAA NIC is listed below.
 
Thursday, March 12
Morning Prelims (9:30 a.m.): 50 Back, 500 Free, 50 Fly, 200 IM, 50 Breast, 50 Free, 400 Medley Relay
Evening Finals (6 p.m.): 200 Free Relay, 50 Back, 500 Free, 50 Fly, 200 IM, 50 Breast, 50 Free, 400 Medley Relay (Top 20 Fastest Seeded Relays)
 
Friday, March 13
Morning Prelims (9:30 a.m.): 400 IM, 100 Fly, 200 Free, 100 Breast, 100 Back, 800 Free Relay
Evening Finals (6 p.m.): 200 Medley Relay, 400 IM, 100 Fly, 200 Free, 100 Breast, 100 Back, 800 Free Relay (Top 20 Fastest Seeded Relays)
 
Saturday, March 14
Morning Prelims (9:30 a.m.): 100 IM, 200 Back, 100 Free, 200 Breast, 200 Fly, 400 Free Relay
Distance Session (TBA): 1000 Free/1650 Free
Evening Finals (6 p.m.): 1000/1650 Free (Top 10 Fastest Seeded Individuals), 100 IM, 200 Back, 100 Free, 200 Breast, 200 Fly, 400 Free Relay (Top 20 Fastest Seeded Relays)
 
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