Illinois College Men's Swimming

Deppe begins his second season as an assistant coach with the Illinois College men's and women's swimming & diving programs in 2016-17. Deppe is a previous member of the IC swim team where he currently holds the 100 and 200 backstroke records and is a part of all five relay school records. He boasts some of the best-ever finishes at the conference level in some individual events and played a role in helping the relays do the same. Deppe was a top-eight finisher for the 100 back in conference, as well as a top-16 finisher in the 50 free, 400 IM and 200 backstroke. He was awarded MVP for the 2011-2012 swim season. He has been a great supporter of the team and looks forward to coaching both the men's and women's programs as they both continue to grow. "I am very happy to be back at Illinois College and to be a part of this team again. I look forward to expanding the depth and talent of this team while continuing its success," Deppe said.

Sykes enters his fifth season as head men's and women's swimming coach at Illinois College in 2016-17 and sixth season as a member of the IC swimming and diving coaching staff. Sykes, a native of Algonquin, earned a bachelors degree from Millikin University in 2011. He was a standout member of the swimming team at Millikin, earning four varsity letters. He has previously served as an assistant coach of the Decatur Swim Club, a volunteer coach at the Area 10 Special Olympics and assistant coach of the Dundee Dolphins, a park district team in Carpentersville. Sykes served as an assistant swimming at Illinois College in 2011-12, helping both programs reach their highest-ever finish at the MWC Championships, before becoming head mens and womens swimming coach.  In his first year as head coach, Sykes led the mens team to a sixth-place finish and the womens team to a seventh-place finish at the MWC Championships. That years team rewrote the Illinois College record book, setting 12 individual swimming records, all five relay records and one diving record on the mens side, plus another 13 individual records and all five relay records on the womens side. In 2013-14, Illinois College continued to venture into uncharted territory. The mens team broke a 200 IM record that had been held for nearly 40 years and two more womens records were set.  In 2014-15, the Lady Blues broke another 10 school records, while the Blueboys set a new mark in nine others and had their third-best finish since the program's revival, continuing the upward trend that started with Sykes' hiring. This past season, the 2015-16 Blueboys and Lady Blues combined for an additional 16 school records. The men's team ended with a fourth-place finish at the conference meet, marking the best finish since the rebirth of the program. Men's swimmer Oak Wattanasirakul became the first MWC Elite 20 award recipient in the sport of men's swimming & diving for academic achievement. Sykes and his wife, Emily, reside in Murrayville with their son, Liam. Return to Staff Christopher Sykes Head Men's and Women's Swimming Coach/Assistant Sports Information Director Christopher Sykes enters his fifth season as head men's and women's swimming coach at Illinois College in 2016-17 and sixth season as a member of the IC swimming and diving coaching staff. Sykes, a native of Algonquin, earned a bachelors degree from Millikin University in 2011. He was a standout member of the swimming team at Millikin, earning four varsity letters. He has previously served as an assistant coach of the Decatur Swim Club, a volunteer coach at the Area 10 Special Olympics and assistant coach of the Dundee Dolphins, a park district team in Carpentersville. Sykes served as an assistant swimming at Illinois College in 2011-12, helping both programs reach their highest-ever finish at the MWC Championships, before becoming head mens and womens swimming coach.  In his first year as head coach, Sykes led the mens team to a sixth-place finish and the womens team to a seventh-place finish at the MWC Championships. That years team rewrote the Illinois College record book, setting 12 individual swimming records, all five relay records and one diving record on the mens side, plus another 13 individual records and all five relay records on the womens side. In 2013-14, Illinois College continued to venture into uncharted territory. The mens team broke a 200 IM record that had been held for nearly 40 years and two more womens records were set.  In 2014-15, the Lady Blues broke another 10 school records, while the Blueboys set a new mark in nine others and had their third-best finish since the program's revival, continuing the upward trend that started with Sykes' hiring. This past season, the 2015-16 Blueboys and Lady Blues combined for an additional 16 school records. The men's team ended with a fourth-place finish at the conference meet, marking the best finish since the rebirth of the program. Men's swimmer Oak Wattanasirakul became the first MWC Elite 20 award recipient in the sport of men's swimming & diving for academic achievement. Sykes and his wife, Emily, reside in Murrayville with their son, Liam. Return to Staff