Swimming and Diving Hosts Louisville on Senior Day

Jan. 23, 2015

The Kentucky swimming and diving team concludes its home schedule when it hosts in-state rival Louisville Saturday on Senior Day.

Diving begins at the Lancaster Aquatics Center at 11:45 a.m. ET, while swimming will commence at 1 p.m. Senior Day festivities will be held at 12:40, where the Wildcats will honor the 2015 senior class of Christina Bechtel, Christa Cabot, Michael Christian, Brent Dillon, Katrina Keirns, Lindsay Keahey, Blair Kuethe, Abby Myers, Robert Resch, Samantha Shaheen, Derrick Smith and Kristen Wilson.

Admission to all UK home meets is free to the public. Parking is available in Structure #7, located at 721 Sports Center Drive, at the corner of Sports Center Drive and Complex Drive. The parking structure is located just a short walk from the Lancaster Aquatics Center. Parking is $2 an hour, with a maximum of $16. The doors to Lancaster will open at 11:15.

More information about parking can be found at www.uky.edu/pts.

In addition to the Senior Day ceremony at 11:45, fans will have the opportunity to win special prizes, including UK gear and a men’s basketball grand prize package. UK students can get free pizza and enter to win a KrogerKart giveaway from Kroger.

Fans unable to attend Friday and Saturday’s competition can follow along with live results on UKathletics.com. Additional updates and behind-the-scenes news and notes can be found on Twitter at @UKSwimDive.

The Kentucky women (4-4) enter the weekend ranked 31st in the CollegeSwimming.com rankings, while the UK men (1-7) are 36th. The U of L men come to Lexington ranked 10th, and the women are 13th.

The matchup between the Wildcats and Cardinals will feature two of the fastest butterfly swimmers in the country, in UK’s Christina Bechtel and U of L’s Kelsi Worrell. Bechtel, undefeated in butterfly events this season, owns the nation’s fastest time in the 200 butterfly with a 1:52.36 and the second-fastest 100 time of 51.11. Worrell is first in the 100 fly with a 50.91, just ahead of Bechtel, while Worrell is third in the 200 with a 1:54.29.

WILDCATS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

Along with Bechtel, two other UK swimmers have posted times that rank among the top 25 nationally. Sophomore Danielle Galyer has posted three top-25 times led by a 1:53.28 in the 200 backstroke, 14th in the nation and third in the SEC. Galyer is also 21st in the 100 backstroke with a 52.75 and 24th in the 400 IM with a 4:12.34. Sophomore Kendal Casey owns the 21st-fastest time in the 1,650 freestyle with a 16:15.91.

LAST TIME OUT: WOMEN WIN AT VANDY, MEN FALL AT VIRGINIA TECH

Fueled by two individual wins by sophomores Kendra Crew and Danielle Galyer and senior Christina Bechtel, the Kentucky women’s swimming team opened the new year with a 170-92 victory at Vanderbilt on Jan. 9. The Wildcats won 11 of the 14 events, including five 1-2 finishes and a pair of contests where UK claimed each of the top three spots. Freshman Bridgette Alexander, sophomore Kelly Berger and senior Abby Myers also notched wins in Nashville, while Galyer and Myers both swam in both of Kentucky’s two relay victories.

The Kentucky men’s swimming and diving team opened the new year with a loss at Virginia Tech Saturday. Against the defending Atlantic Coast Conference champions, the Wildcats tallied four wins, with a 1-2-3 finish in addition to a first- and second-place showing.

UP NEXT: VS. CINCINNATI

Kentucky concludes regular season action next Friday vs. Cincinnati. The UK and UC swimmers square off in Cincinnati at 5 p.m. ET. The Wildcat and Bearcat divers will compete in Lexington at the Lancaster Aquatics Center, on platform and on 3-meter.

For complete news and updates on the Kentucky Swimming and Diving program, go to UKathletics.com/SwimmingDiving. Breaking news, behind-the-scenes updates, photos and more can be found on Twitter at @UKSwimDive and Facebook at Facebook.com/UKSwimDive.