The 24th-ranked University of Kentucky women’s swimming and diving team will face Arkansas and South Carolina at the Arkansas Natatorium on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 12 p.m., ET. Last week, the Wildcats defeated LSU and Texas A&M, while Arkansas defeated Eastern Michigan and South Carolina competed at the Georgia Diving Invitational.
Senior Jaime Siegele leads the Kentucky team with times in the 50 and 100 freestyles ranked in the top-25 in the nation. Her 50 freestyle time places her at No. 3 in the Southeastern Conference, while her 100 freestyle time has her ranked in the top five in the SEC.
Fellow senior Melissa Olson also ranks in the top 25 nationally with her time in the 200 individual medley, a time which also places her in the top-10 in the SEC. Additionally, Olson is ranked in the top five in the SEC for the 200 backstroke.
Freshman Kelli Stein, who has won the 200 breaststroke in every dual meet this season, is also ranked in the top-10 in the SEC for both the 100 and 200 breaststrokes. Arkansas’ Natalia Kodojova will attempt to foil Stein’s quest for yet another dual meet victory, as she also is ranked in the top-10 in the SEC in both breaststroke events.
Divers Kelli Frost and Carrie Knoeber are ranked in the top-10 in the SEC as well. Frost is ranked in the one-meter (dual) and three-meter (championship). Knoeber is ranked in the three-meter (dual and championship) and the platform. Both have already qualified for NCAAs.
Frost and Knoeber will combine with Sarah Fields to face Arkansas’ Katerina Kordioukova and Mandy Moran.
Wildcats Remain Ranked in National Top-25
The Kentucky swimming and diving teams remain ranked in the College Swim Coaches Association of America’s top-25 poll. The men hold strong at No. 23, while the women dropped to 24th.
The men’s team has eight individual times ranked in the top-25 nationally, with Shaun Zitani holding the highest ranking, No. 4 in the 50 freestyle. The SEC Swimmer of the Week, Macon White, is ranked in the 500 freestyle, an event he won last weekend against LSU and Texas A&M to help him secure the SEC honor.
