Nov. 4, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – After a great weekend in the water a week ago in Knoxville, Tenn., the University of Kentucky swimming and diving teams will host their first of two events in the 2011-12 season, welcoming Southern Illinois and Missouri to the Commonwealth for a double-dual meet beginning at 10:00 a.m. Saturday at the Lancaster Aquatic Center.
“We are looking forward to the meet on Saturday,” UK head coach Gary Conelly said. “It is our only home meet of the fall and is also our parents day. For many of our parents it will be their first UK home meet. We are looking forward to showing the facilities off a little. It is also going to be a very challenging meet, Missouri in particular. They are a fast-improving team that has already posted some very quick times this season.”
On Saturday, the Wildcats will be facing Southern Illinois and Missouri, two very solid teams out of the Missouri Valley Conference, and the Big XII respectfully. Southern Illinois has seen success in 2011-12, tabbing wins over Miami University (Ohio), Evansville, and Missouri thus far in the season. Missouri most recently took to the waters on Saturday, and fell to the Southeastern Conference’s newest member, Texas A&M.
Last weekend in Nashville, the Wildcats had one of their best-ever October meets, as the men raced past Western Kentucky 159-141, and the women finished the day 2-0 with wins over Vanderbilt and Western Kentucky.
In the meet, sophomore diver Greg Ferrucci set a new school record in the one-meter diving competition, posting a score of 387.37 en route to winning the competition. Ferrucci was later named Southeastern Conference Male Diver of the Week by the SEC office on Tuesday afternoon.
Kentucky overall won 18 of the 32 events held in the meet.
Tyler Reed, the Wildcat’s freestyle specialist led the way for Kentucky, winning three events in the 200-freestyle, 50-freestyle, and 100-freestyle. Reed posted a time of 1:40.80 in the 200-freestyle, finishing in first by over .7 of a second.
Travis Green a winning time of 9:36.18 in the 1000-freestyle for the Wildcats. Matt Russell won the 100-breastroke turning in a time of 56.73, just shy of his career-high. Also, for the men’s team. Maclin Simpson posted a time of 1:51.09 in the 200-butterfly, good enough for the Wildcats to claim yet another winner.
On the women’s side, Christa Bechtel and Megan Eppler won two events. Bechtel claimed the crown in the 200-butterfly and the 100-butterfly. Eppler posted a career-best in the 100-freestyle turning in a time of 51.22 seconds, and finishing in first place. Eppler also won the 50-freestyle with a time of 23.53 seconds. Julia Gerotto won two events for Kentucky, as the Wildcat freshman from Sao Paulo, Brazil swam a winning time of 10:16.48 in the 1000-freestyle and won the 500-freestyle posting a time if 4:57.14.
“There should be a lot of exciting swimming and diving,” Conelly added.” The meet is taking place before the UK football game we are inviting all the tailgaters to come in and take a break from the elements and enjoy the friendly confines of Lancaster Aquatic Center. It should be a nice warm-up for the football game later in the day.”
The meet will start at 10:00 a.m. ET on Saturday; however, fans should take note of very important parking information since there will be parking adjustments to consider with the football game.
Fans will be permitted to park in Parking Structure #2 and #3 on the UK campus.
Parking Structure #2:
Location: 538 Rose Street (entrance at Hilltop Ave.)
Cost: Free
Across from the K-Lair Grill on campus
About .5 miles away from Aquatic Center; 12-minute walk
Parking Structure #3:
Location: 140 Huguelet Ave.
Cost: Free
About .6 miles away from Aquatic Center; 15-minute walk
Details: Spaces marked “Twilight Clinic” are reserved for Kentucky Clinic staff members for the football game
Parking Structure #7 will be open, but at a $20 cost since it is a football gameday.
For continuing coverage of UK Swimming and Diving, log on to UKAthletics.com.
