Redbirds Announce Schedule For 2025-26 Campaign

NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State swim and dive program has released its schedule for the 2025-26 campaign, head coach Riley Hilbrandt‘s second year at the helm of the program. The schedule features eight regular-season meets, including three home meets.

“Our 25-26 schedule is something to be excited about,” Hilbrandt said. “While we have a few consistent competitors from last year, we have also added new opponents that will provide both a great experience and competitive opportunity for our student-athletes. We will take each meet as an opportunity to develop, learn, and grow as a team. By doing so, we will set ourselves up for a successful dual meet season and come into MVC Championships fully equipped to swim and dive at our highest potential.”

The Redbirds begin the campaign with a home dual meet against Quincy on Oct. 3. The meet will also be the Redbirds Pink Meet, competing for Breast Cancer Awareness.

Illinois State will then hit the road for its next four meets, beginning with a trip to Eastern Michigan for a meet against the Eagles and Toledo on Oct. 10-11. Following the trip to Ypsilanti, the Redbirds will travel to the Windy City to battle in-state rivals UIC in a dual meet on Oct. 17. 

After the trip to Chicago, Illinois State will head to Champaign and compete against Illinois and Southern Illinois on Oct. 24-25. The Redbirds will then close out their road stand with a trip to Miami (OH) on November 20-22.

Illinois State will then return home following the holiday break with back-to-back home meets against UNI on Jan. 16-17 and versus Eastern Illinois on Senior Day on Jan. 31.

To close out the regular season, the Redbird divers will head to Chicago for a second time for a meet at UIC on Feb. 7. The postseason will begin on February 25 with a three-day meet at the MVC Championships in Evansville, Ind. 

The Redbirds will then compete at either the CSCAA NIC Championships on March 12-14 in Ocala, Fla., or the NCAA Championships on March 28-31 in Atlanta, Ga. 

To qualify for the CSCAA NICA Championships, athletes can qualify by winning their respective event(s) at a bona fide collegiate conference championship. In addition, any individual or relay team that equals or surpasses the CSCAA ‘A’ standard during the qualifying period shall be eligible to compete at the Championship.

The NCAA Championship qualifying standards have yet to be announced as of Aug. 11.

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