Rice University Athletics
Swimmers Compete In Two Dallas Meets This Weekend
10/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Oct. 27, 2010
;HOUSTON - Not only does the Rice swim team compete against four elite teams in the annual SMU Classic in Dallas on Friday and Saturday evening (Oct. 29-30), the Owls also go head-to-head in a Conference USA dual meet with the SMU Mustangs on Saturday afternoon.
For the second year in a row Rice returns to the annual SMU Classic, where only the top eight swimmers from the five participating teams compete in a two-day meet. Both days of the Classic begin at 7 pm. This year the remaining Owls not racing in the Classic will also be in Dallas to take-on the SMU swimmers who are not competing in the Classic.
Rice head coach Seth Huston, now in his ninth year at the helm of the swim program, named the Owls' lineup for the Classic as senior Kait Chura, juniors Shelby Bottoms and Alex O'Brien, sophomore Kylee Talwar and a freshmen foursome of Quincy Christian, Chelsea Fong, Michelle Gean and Karina Wlostowska. Huston said competing in the Classic that is stacked with national Top 25 programs Southern Cal, Purdue, Louisville and host SMU is a challenge to be sure, but the Owls meeting SMU Saturday in the C-USA dual have an equally tough and important task to face.
"All four of those teams are Top 25 programs, and if our team aspires to become a Top 25 program then it is important that we are mentally and physically ready to compete with them," Huston said. "Last year we went (to the Classic) and did not fare very well. We want to be much better this year. We want to compete and be the best we can at any meet at this stage of the season (including the SMU dual).
"We are in one of our most challenging training periods of the year," Huston added. "Our training focus is with February and March in mind (when the C-USA and NCAA Championships are held). We are training right through these early season meets, and doing so while our overall health is a little down. We've had some team sickness that have kept a few out of practices. We've also had a lot step-up during this time. Stephanie Wei, Alison Godbe and Nicole Delaloye have been exceptional."
The format of the 18-event Classic features nine events on each day of the meet. There are 12 individual races, four relays and two diving events. The format has been highly-streamlined to just two entries per event, giving the meet a "best-against-the-best" type of showdown. The SMU dual is 11 swim races and two diving events. The overall depth of each team is paramount in this annual conference clash.
Results from meet will be posted on RiceOwls.com. The respective events for each meet is as follows:
SMU Classic Friday Schedule of Events; 7 pm
1. 400 Medley Relay
2. 400 Individual Medley
3. 200 Freestyle
4. 100 Butterfly
5. One-meter diving
6. 100 Backstroke
7. 100 Breaststroke
8. 50 Freestyle
9. 800 Freestyle Relay
C-USA Dual Meet, Rice vs. SMU 1 pm Saturday (Oct. 30)
1. 200 Medley Relay
2. 1000 Freestyle
3. 200 Freestyle
4. 50 Freestyle
5. 200 Individual Medley
6. One-meter Diving
7. 200 Butterfly
8. 100 Freestyle
9. 200 Backstroke
10. 500 Freestyle
11. Three-meter Diving
12. 200 Breaststroke
13. 200 Freestyle Relay
SMU Classic Saturday Schedule of Events; 7 pm
1. 400 Freestyle Relay
2. 500 Freestyle
3. 200 Backstroke
4. 200 Breaststroke
5. Three-meter Diving
6. 100 Freestyle
7. 200 Butterfly
8. 200 Individual Medley
9. 200 Freestyle Relay
Players Mentioned
