Jan. 28, 2011

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky swimming and diving teams have competed hard all year and now face the final meet of the regular season. The Cats will compete Saturday in Cincinnati, against host school Cincinnati and Virginia Tech. Diving will begin at 10:30 a.m. and swimming will begin at 1 p.m.

The women’s team enters the meet with an 8-4 record and the men’s team has a 3-9 record, but UK head coach Gary Conelly said this meet is more about getting in the work that will prepare them for the Southeastern Conference championships coming in two weeks.

“We really aren’t looking at this meet in the sense of team competition,” Conelly said. “It is our last chance to see our athletes compete in their best events. I have put swimmers into events that I want to see them swim as opposed to where they will score the most points. I am looking forward to seeing what we can do in the water. We have been making very good progress this semester and this meet should give us a good idea what our swimmers will do at the conference meet and beyond. I think we are going to have some very fast swims, especially in the sprint relays.”

The women’s team has the third-fastest time in the SEC in the 200-freestyle relay and the second-fastest time in the 200-medley relay. The 200-free relay quartet is led by Kayla Sergesketter, Jenna Newsome, Megan Eppler and Mandy Myers. The 200-medley relay is led by Chatham Penrod, Lindsey Graessle, Myers and Sergesketter.

Saturday’s meet against the Bearcats and Hokies will prepare Kentucky for the postseason that lies ahead, capped off by the women’s NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas, from March 17-19, and the men’s NCAA Championships in Minneapolis, Minn., from March 24-26.

The SEC Diving Championships begin Feb. 11 in Gainesville, Fla., and will run until Feb. 13. The SEC Swimming Championships, also being held in Gainesville, will begin Feb. 16 and run until Feb. 19.

For all UK swimming and diving news and results, visit UKathletics.com.