Kentucky Hosts Annual Sun Shall Shine Meet
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky swimming and diving program will inaugurate its 2018-19 season at the annual Sun Shall Shine meet Friday, Oct. 5 at Kentucky’s Lancaster Aquatic Center.
The once-a-year event will begin at 3 p.m. and will include a schedule of events that features 32 races, with a 20-minute break separating the men’s 50 freestyle and women’s 1-meter diving events.
The Wildcat showdown gives each member in the swimming and diving program an opportunity to compete. The Kentucky men’s and women’s rosters are separated into blue squad and white squads.
Parking for spectators will be available in parking structure No. 7 located on Sports Center Drive, across from the E.J. Nutter Training Facility. The cost of parking is $2 an hour. Free parking will be made available Friday at 3:30 p.m. in parking structure Nos. 1 and 2.
Popularly pegged as one of the most enjoyable events on the schedule, the Blue-White meet offers a competitive setting combined with a fun, internal rivalry among the squads. The scrimmage will prepare the team ahead of a four-month stretch of regular season meets.
Kentucky will officially open its season Wednesday, Oct. 10 versus two top programs, Indiana and Notre Dame. The Indiana women finished the 2017-18 season ranked No. 9 in the CSCAA polls, while its men’s squad finished in the third spot.
Each of Notre Dame’s squads finished No. 19, a spot they reserved for the better half of the season.
Kentucky celebrated a winning 2017-18 regular session for both the men and women (men 5-4, women 7-3). Both programs will rely on improved depth, the experience of its veterans and the excitement of its newcomers, to produce a noteworthy season.
“The Blue-White meet is a great opportunity to see where we are as a program before going to Indiana next week,” said Head Coach Lars Jorgensen. “We’ve had a few team activities over the last couple of weeks to build up to the Blue-White meet, and this is ultimately a great opportunity for coaches to evaluate where we are after a few weeks of preseason training. We are very eager to get the season started.”
The swimming and diving teams bear one goal in mind, to improve its presence on both a Southeastern Conference and national level. They are not far off with a victorious year behind them.
Junior Asia Seidt collected an NCAA silver medal in the 200 backstroke, while also breaking the school record (1:49:24). Seidt and senior Geena Freriks both earned SEC titles in 2018, adding to their collection. Seidt earned two – 200 backstroke (1:49.65) and 100 backstroke (50.86). Frerik’s victory came in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:37:20.
On the men’s side, diver Chase Lane is expected to make a splash. The sophomore was crowned 2018 SEC Male Freshman Diver of the Year last season. He qualified for the SEC Championship final on the platform earning a fifth-place finish, followed by earning a bid to the NCAA Championships.
Kentucky had seven All-Americans to end the 2017-18 season. Six of the seven are returning athletes – Bailey Bonnett (400 MR HM, 200 Breast 5th), Freriks (800 FR HM, 400 MR HM), Ali Galyer (800 FR HM, 200 Back 6th), Haley McInerny (800 FR HM), Seidt (800 FR HM, 200 IM 7th, 400 MR HM, 100 Back HM, 200 Back 2nd) and Madison Winstead (200 Breast HM).
For the latest on the Kentucky swimming and diving program, follow @UKSwimDive on Twitter, on Facebook at Facebook.com/UKSwimDive, and on the web at UKathletics.com.
