Swimmers Open 2005-06 Season Friday In Austin Against Cougars
10/13/2005 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Oct. 13, 2005
The Rice swim team opens the 2005-06 season, the Owls' first as a member of Conference USA, at 4:30 pm Friday against the University of Houston at the Jamail Swim Center in Austin. There has been a slight change to the meet format, previously scheduled as a double-dual with host Texas. Rice will still swim the Longhorns, but that portion of the dual will now be scored as an exhibition-only.
Rice head coach Seth Huston, now in his fourth year at the helm of the Owls' program, welcomes back a total of 10 letterwinners from last year's team that finished fourth at the Western Athletic Conference Championships. With seven highly regarded freshmen joining the squad, the team has the right mix of returning veterans and talented newcomers to take on Conference USA. On the eve of the season-opener against the Cougars, coach Huston highlighted the 2005-06 Owls in each of the strokes.
FREESTYLE:
The Owls will once again be very competitive, from the 50 to the mile. The sprints will be anchored by senior Laura Healey, a provisional qualifier for the NCAA Championships in the 50 a year ago. The talented freshmen duo of Diane Gu and Carlyann Voss Miller will be major contributors, individually and in the relays. In the middle distance free, junior Andrea Hurn and sophomore Carey Hain will see a lot of action. Add in experienced senior Meghan Brown and freshmen Anna Dogger and the Owls will be a force to be reckoned with.
The Blue and Gray was strong in the distance events a year ago but the team will be even stronger this year. Sophomore Brittany Massengale, the new Rice record holder in the 1,000 and the mile, is coming off an exceptional summer. Massengale took 11th place in the 1,500-meters freestyle at the USA Swimming Senior Nationals and qualified for the 2008 Olympic trials in both the 400- and 800. Add in standout freshmen Caitlin Warner and the Owls have a formidable one-two distance punch. Junior Jenni Whitcomb is an experienced competitor who provides some depth in the distance races.
BREASTSTROKE:
The Owls will look to the experienced Andrea Hurn and sophomore Jennifer Hill to be consistent performers. True freshmen Hannah Blakely, an international caliber athlete from England, will add depth in the individual events and relays.
BACKSTROKE:
Sophomore Amy Halsey, a 2005 finalist in the Western Athletic Conference, returns to lead a talented group of backstroke specialists. The Owls have added local standout Keri Hyde from nearby Memorial High School. Fellow freshmen Skylar Craig, Natalie Kirchhoff and Anna Dogger will combine to add depth in meets.
BUTTERFLY:
The talented freshmen trio of Keri Hyde, Skylar Craig and Natalie Kirchhoff will provide the Owls with some scoring firepower. Add in veteran Meghan Brown and the butterfly is another solid event for the Owls.
INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY:
Andrea Hurn and Jennifer Hill can race in the 200 and are versatile enough to move up to the 400. Halsey and Dogger could see action in the 200 while distance specialists Massengale and Warner can contribute in the 400. Top to bottom, the Owls have a number of options.
Players Mentioned
