MCC Swimmers Set Records, Post Top-15 Finishes at Nationals
FORT PIERCE, Fla. — The Meridian Community College men's and women's swimming & diving teams wrapped up another successful season at the 2026 NJCAA Swimming & Diving Championships, held March 4–7 at the Anne Wilder Aquatic Center on the campus of Indian River State College.
The national championship meet featured approximately 200 student-athletes and coaches from across the country competing for NJCAA titles. MCC's men's team finished 10th overall, while the women's team placed 11th, marking another strong showing for the young program.
The Eagles competed in 12 individual events, recording season-best times in 11 of those swims, an impressive 92 percent improvement rate during the championship meet.
Day One Highlights
Meridian opened competition with several standout swims.
Sydney Cooper placed 20th in the 50 breaststroke with a time of 33.33, dropping 2.32 seconds, and later finished 23rd in the 50 freestyle with a time of 23.44, improving by 0.06 seconds.
Matthew Kirkland finished 15th in the 200 individual medley, posting a time of 2:10.87 and shaving 6.48 seconds off his previous mark.
On the women's side, Hallie McDonald delivered a strong performance in the 50 freestyle, placing 15th with a time of 27.14, a 1.63-second improvement.
Day Two Highlights
McDonald continued her strong showing in the 200 freestyle, finishing 13th with a time of 2:16.66, dropping 7.10 seconds.
Kirkland added another solid performance in the 50 backstroke, finishing 20th with a time of 27.25, improving his season mark by 0.26 seconds.
Day Three Highlights
Kirkland returned to the pool in the 100 backstroke, finishing 20th with a time of 1:00.04.
Day Four Highlights
The final day of competition featured several more strong swims for the Eagles.
Cooper recorded a new team record in the 50 butterfly, finishing 31st with a time of 26.74, and later placed 23rd in the 100 freestyle with a time of 53.73.
Kirkland finished 19th in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:31.40.
McDonald wrapped up the meet with a 14th-place finish in the 50 butterfly (32.73) and an 18th-place finish in the 100 freestyle (1:00.05).
Record-Breaking Performances
Several Eagles also set new program records during the championship meet.
-
New MCC Team Record – 50 Butterfly
-
New MCC Team Record – 50 Backstroke
-
New MCC Team Record – 200 Individual Medley
-
New MCC Team Record – 200 Breaststroke
Building a Program in Mississippi
With the season now complete, Head Coach Wade Heggie reflected on the progress his team has made during the program's first three years.
"I'm extremely proud of this group and everything they accomplished this season," Heggie said. "To see so many personal best times and school records at the national level shows the hard work these athletes have put in. We're also proud to represent Meridian and help grow the sport of swimming in Mississippi."
The championship meet also marked another milestone for Heggie personally, as he was recently elected President of the NJCAA Swimming & Diving Coaches Association, highlighting the growing impact of MCC's program on the national stage.
Now in just its third year, MCC Swimming & Diving has already made three consecutive appearances at the NJCAA National Championships, continuing to build momentum and raise the profile of the sport in Meridian and throughout Mississippi.
The Eagles now turn their attention to the future as they prepare for the 2026–27 season.
Follow MCC Athletics on X (@mcceaglessports), Instagram (@mcceaglesathletics_), and Facebook (Meridian Community College Athletics) for updates, photos, videos, and more.
