Nauman Qualifies for Two IHSA Girls Swimming Finals
La Salle-Peru's Sam Nauman earned spots in the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard individual medley finals at the state meet in Westmont.
Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Swimming
Sam Nauman swam 54.47 seconds in the 100-yard backstroke in Friday's preliminary heats at Westmont's FMC Natatorium, tying for the second-fastest qualifying time. She also claimed the eighth and final spot in the 200-yard individual medley final with a time of 2:04.22.
Why it matters
Nauman's qualifications in two events highlight her progress from last year, when she placed third in the backstroke and 11th in the 200 individual medley at state. Her lifetime-best times suggest she is peaking as the state meet's finals approach.
Nauman's 54.47-second backstroke time trails only Thea Bike's 52.91 seconds among qualifiers, while her 2:04.22 IM time sits behind top qualifier Paige Kowal's 1:59.56. Final results in both races will determine whether her improvements translate into podium positions.
The players
Sam Nauman
A junior swimmer at La Salle-Peru who placed third in the backstroke at last year's IHSA state meet.
Thea Bike
A senior at St. Charles North and the fastest qualifier in the 100-yard backstroke.
Paige Kowal
A Rosary junior and the top qualifier in the 200-yard individual medley.
The details
Nauman set a lifetime best in the 100-yard backstroke, beating her Nov. 7 time at the Normal Community Sectional. The La Salle-Peru co-op relay quartet of Nauman, Anna Weitl, Finley Jobst and Dawsynn Kettman finished 36th in the 200-yard medley relay qualifying heats with a time of 1:54.52.
Timeline
Nov. 7: Nauman set her previous lifetime best at the Normal Community Sectional.
Friday, Nov. 13: Preliminary heats at Westmont's FMC Natatorium where she qualified in two events.
Saturday, Nov. 14, 11:44 a.m.: 200-yard individual medley final.
Saturday, Nov. 14, 3:27 p.m.: 100-yard backstroke final.
Season Trajectory
Nauman's qualifications extend her progression from last year's third-place backstroke finish and 11th-place 200 IM showing at state. Her improved times in both events point to a stronger position heading into Saturday's finals.
Fantasy and recruiting observers tracking high school swimmers can note Nauman's two finals qualifications and her improved IM time. Her placement in Saturday's finals will shape how she is viewed among Illinois prospects heading into the next season.
The takeaway
Nauman's dual qualification shows how steady lifetime-best swims can carry an athlete from a sectional result into a state final. Tracking how individual times improve across meets offers a useful measure of progress for any competitive swimmer.
What happens next
Nauman competes in the 200-yard individual medley final on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 11:44 a.m. and the 100-yard backstroke final at 3:27 p.m. the same day.
Further reading
For more on state-level competition, see Swimming coverage across Illinois.
