The New "Math"

Saturday, February 2

Baton Rouge, LA

11:00 am CT

Rice University

Houston

2/2/2019 3:32:00 PM | Swimming & Diving

Sophomore Standout Lindsay Mathys Is Back In Action

By: John Sullivan (jsully@rice.edu)

BATON ROUGE, La. — The Rice swim team concluded its weekend action on Saturday (Feb. 2) at the LSU Time Trials in Baton Rouge, La. The best news of the road trip was the return to action of sophomore standout Lindsay Mathys.

Saturday Format: Although there was no team scoring in Saturday's time trials like there was Friday night in the double-dual vs. LSU and Houston, the Owls posted some solid individual results. Brittany Bui (2:00.90), Lindsay Mathys (2:02.87) and Shannon Jelley (2:03.18) finished 1-2-3 in the 200-yard butterfly. The duo of Phillis Range and Nicole Limberg swept the top two spots, respectively, in the 200-breaststroke (2:18.43 and 2:20.14).

The New "Math": Mathys' 200-fly Saturday was her best of the season. Though still quite a bit away from her Rice career-best time of 1:58.92, the second-fastest mark in school history, simply having the sophomore standout back competing is perhaps the best outcome the Owls posted all weekend. The Illinois native, who was the team's Rookie of the Year as a freshman in 2018, has been sidelined from action the better part of the last three months. Her return in time for the upcoming C-USA Swim Championships (starting on Feb. 27) is a big step in the right direction.

Coach Huston: "Yes Lindsay was good today, no question," said Rice head coach Seth Huston, now in his 17th season at the helm of the program. "I was also impressed with (freshman) Erin Vance. She is really improving all her strokes and turns. Claire Therien had some of her best performances of the season this weekend."

Next Up: Rice will have an eye on the upcoming Conference USA Championships at the end of the month, but before that the team will have an opportunity for one final tune-up. The Owls are scheduled to compete across town at the University of Houston's 'First Chance Meet' on Feb. 23 (Saturday).