Contact: Sam Fretto, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, sjfretto@noctrl.edu
PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. (Feb. 21, 2026)- Competing at the four-day-long College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Championships (CCIW), the North Central College men's and women's swimming and diving team wrapped up its season in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin.
The women's team saw success competing in the finals for six different events. Abigael Sheldon led the way, competing in the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke while also competing in the 200-yard individual medley. In the 100-yard event, Sheldon placed eighth with a time of 1:11.57; in the 200-yard breaststroke, he took 13th place with a time of 2:40.77. In the 200-yard individual medley, Sheldon clocked in a time of 2:20.41, good enough for 14th place. Sydney Sprayberry competed in the 200-yard freestyle as well as the 1650-yard freestyle finals. Sprayberry managed a time of 2:04.76, improving her preliminary time of 2:08.07, and placed 11th. In the 1650-yard freestyle, Sprayberry placed 16th with a time of 20:23.30. Amelia Minarik joined Sprayberry in the 1650-yard finals and clocked in a time of 21:38.62, placing her 20th. Celina McDaniel competed in the 200-yard butterfly finals, where she clocked in a time of 2:37.46 and placed 16th.
In the relays, the women competed in the 200-yard, 400-yard, and 800-yard freestyle as well as the 200-yard and 400-yard medley. The team of Ayla Pequette, Sheldon Addison Bludgen, and Sprayberry swam in the 200-yard and 400-yard freestyle, where they clocked in times of 1:46.98 and 3:53.83, respectively. The 800-yard freestyle saw Sprayberry, Sheldon, McDaniel, and Minarik swim, where they clocked in a time of 9:17.96. Bludgen, Minarik, McDaniel, and Pequette swam in the 200-yard medley relay, where they finished with a time of 2:14.94. In the 400-yard medley relay, the team of Bludgen, Sheldon, Minarik, and Pequette finished with a time of 4:33.24.
The men's team competed in the finals for five different events, led by Mihir Chandra, who competed in three. Chandra, who swam in the 50-yard freestyle, placed 13th with a time of 21.99. In the 100-yard freestyle, he placed 14th with a time of 48.72. His final event was the 100-yard breaststroke, where he placed 11th, clocking in at one minute exactly. Griffin Laurin competed in two finals, one in the 500-yard freestyle and one in the 200-yard freestyle with teammate Clark Wilson. In the 500-yard freestyle, Laurin finished with a time of 5:04.53 for 13th place. In the 200-yard freestyle, Laurin placed 13th with a time of 1:53.69, while Wilson placed 15th with a time of 1:59.66.
At the conclusion of the meet, both the men and women placed seventh in the CCIW. The women scored 128 points, while the men scored 23 points. The winner of the women's CCIW Championship was Wheaton College with 818 points, while the winner of the men's CCIW Championship was Augustana College with 1036 points.
The winner of the men's CCIW RESPECT Award for North Central was Laurin, and the winner of the women's CCIW RESPECT Award for North Central was Minarik. The RESPECT Award recognizes the intangible traits a student-athlete possesses that exemplify great character and encourages inclusiveness and a positive culture.
