It was an electric weekend at UIC as 47 New Trier Aquatics Sharks took to the water for the
2026 SC Illinois Senior State Championships. Competing against the best in the state from March 5-8, our Sharks lived up to the NTA vision of setting the gold standard, powering their way to a
5th place overall team finish with 708 points. The Boys squad led the charge with a 4th place finish, while the Girls team secured a strong 6th place in the state rankings.
Swimmer of the Meet: Ryan Vender
If there was a "Swimmer of the Meet" award, it would undoubtedly go to
Ryan Vender (17). Ryan had an absolutely stellar weekend across the board, dropping time and achieving new NCSA Junior National cuts in almost everything she swam. Among her many standout swims, Ryan clocked a 1:52.97 leading off our 800 Free Relay on Friday night. Her consistency and determination all weekend perfectly embodied the #BetterEveryDay mindset!
Championship Podium and High Point Honors
The weekend was also highlighted by dominant performances from
Sylvia Deliduka and
Everett Pumphrey, who each brought home two individual state titles.
- Sylvia Deliduka (16) was a force in the sprint freestyle events, capturing state titles in both the
50 Yard Free (23.39) and the
100 Yard Free (50.98). Her consistent speed earned her
3rd place in the Overall High Point standings.
- Everett Pumphrey (15) displayed his endurance and tactical skill to win both the
1000 Yard Free (9:21.74) and the
1650 Yard Free (15:43.99). Everett’s performance earned him
5th place in the Distance High Point standings.
- Dylan Sears (15) also made his mark in the distance lanes, finishing
8th in the Distance High Point standings following a stellar
500 Yard Free (4:41.42) and a 7th place finish in the
400 Yard IM (4:10.61).
National Cut Celebrations
The Sharks were on a mission to reach the national stage, with several swimmers achieving prestigious time standards for the very first time:
- Everett Pumphrey opened the meet on night one with a massive swim in the
1000 Free, securing his
first Winter Junior National cut.
- Connor Brosche (17) clocked a
52.83 in the
100 Back to earn his first NCSA Junior National cut.
- Ben Diep (16) powered through the
200 Fly in
1:54.65 to grab his first NCSA cut.
- Donny Kennedy (16) showcased his versatility in the
200 IM, touching in
1:54.76 to achieve his first NCSA cut.
- Claire Keyworth (16) demonstrated elite backstroke form, finishing the
200 Back in
2:05.65 to score her first NCSA cut.
- Dylan Sears carried his momentum into the
200 Free, locking in his first NCSA Junior National cut.
Record Breakers and Exceptional Swims
Lubo Liu-Tchorbadjiyski (14) had a historic weekend, shattering
three 13-14 Team Records. Lubo rewrote the NTA record books in the
100 Yard Free (45.66), earning a 5th place finish in the A-Final against much older competition. He also took down the 13-14 record in the
100 Yard Back (49.68) with a blistering lead-off split in the Boys 400 Yard Medley Relay, and the
50 Yard Free (21.42) in prelims!
Other exceptional performances included:
- Maeve Atwood (15): A-Finalist in the
400 IM (4:28.34) and a swift
2:05.49 in the
200 Yard Back.
- Charlie Sears (17): A-Finalist in the
100 Yard Fly (50.81) and a strong
2:07.58 in the
200 Yard Breast.
Congratulations to all our Sharks for another fantastic weekend of racing. We are incredibly proud of your hard work and the supportive environment you continue to build for one another.
#FinsUp #GoSharks #BetterEveryDay
