The 2026 Midwest Conference Swimming and Diving Championship Meet began Thursday evening and the Forester women earned a victory in their first event.

Included in the opening night of competition were the men's and women's 800-freestyle relay and 200-medley relay.

Senior Valeria Welk, junior Audrey Kilmer, and sophomores Joss Hoffman and Isabella Rozenbergas were victorious in the 800-freestyel relay. Their time of 7:48.28 was exactly half of a second better than runner-up and host Grinnell College. It was the Foresters' first conference title in a relay event since Welk and Kilmer finished off a victory in the same event two seasons ago.

The same four swimmers were back in the pool a short time later and placed third in the 200-medley relay with a time of 1:49.11.

The Lake Forest men were third in both events. After senior Demetri Zemenides, junior Gavin Biccum, senior Alexander Wilson, and sophomore Matthew Strada completed the 800-freestyle relay in 7:00.09, juniors Cameron Schlosser and Clayton Berg joined Strada and Zemenides in the 200-medley relay, which they finished in 1:35.21.

With 88 and 82 points, respectively, the Grinnell men and women lead the standings after Thursday's competition. On the men's side, second-place Milwaukee School of Engineering has 76 points and the Foresters 72. Lake Forest's women are just two points behind Grinnell and six ahead of third-place St. Norbert College.

Friday morning's prelims will begin at 10:00 and the finals at 5:30 p.m. The championships will continue on Saturday and conclude on Sunday.