The University of Northern Iowa Women’s Swim and Dive team headed down to Columbia, Miss., for the conference tournament last Wednesday through Saturday.  Going into the tournament, the Panthers were 11-5 on the year for their meets and hopeful for a conference win.

After all the recording of swims were complete, the swim and dive team finished 5^th overall with 445 points.  Missouri State took the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament with 826.5 points. Going into this season, UNI was projected to place 4^th in the coach’s poll and Missouri State was projected to win it all.

The Panthers had seven top-six finishes in the meet. Senior Mariah Ross finished in first place in the 100 meter breaststroke with a time of 1:02.12. Two-time Missouri Valley Champion for the 200 meter backstroke, senior Katie Taylor, went into her third victory in the 200 meter backstroke with a time of 1:56.72.

Freshman diver Anna Penning received the Freshman Diver of the Year award. Taylor and Ross made the All-Conference team, with honorable mentions in Penning, senior Kylie Engstrom, sophomore Helena Hueberger, senior Jordan McCullough, freshman Mia Savicevic, freshman Sydney Schmidt and freshman Sarah Walpole.

The Panthers are graduating six seniors in Engstrom, McCullough, Ross, Taylor, Ashleigh Houlette and Jenna Willer.