Wildcats Look to Bounce Back at Saluki Invite
CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Kentucky swimming and diving program will wrap up its fall dual season this weekend, traveling to Carbondale, Illinois, for a two-day quad meet with Missouri, Northwestern (men only) and host-school Southern Illinois. The meet will run Nov. 3-4, with action beginning at 5 p.m. ET on Friday, and at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
“This is a great opportunity to get back on the road and race against a very good SEC team in Missouri,” said head coach Lars Jorgensen. “SIU has done very well in this meet in the past and Northwestern has some great athletes. It’s good for us to race in back-to-back weekends once in a while and kind of see what we’re made of.”
Four of the squads competing in the meet are ranked in the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) NCAA Division I Coaches’ Poll, which was released Oct. 25, including the No. 15 Kentucky women’s team.
Both Missouri’s men’s and women’s programs are ranked inside the top 25, with the women at No. 25 and the men at No. 18. The Tiger men are coming off 154-144 a victory over South Carolina on Oct. 14, while the women’s team suffered losses to both Arkansas and the Gamecocks the same day.
Northwestern’s men own a 2-3 record in dual meets this season, with victories over Chicago and UIC on Oct. 28. Similar to the Kentucky men, Northwestern opened its season against Eastern Michigan, dropping a close 153-141 decision.
The Saluki men and women have each put together impressive dual records so far this season, as the women are 5-1 and the men own a 3-1 record. Both teams’ only loss came at the hands of Missouri State on Oct. 7.
Friday’s events will include men’s 1-meter and women’s 3-meter springboard events, 200 free relay, 200 IM, 500 free, 100 breast, 200 back, 100 free, 200 fly and 400 medley relay. Competition will resume Saturday morning with opposite springboard events, 200 medley relay, 1000 free, 50 free, 100 back, 200 breast, 100 fly, 200 free, 400 IM and 400 free relay.
Live results will be available on the Meet Mobile app.
LAST TIME OUT
The Wildcats are looking to bounce back from some tough losses against highly ranked Tennessee and Indiana last Friday. The UK women’s team tightly competed, but ultimately fell to the No. 12 Volunteers 170-130 and the No. 8 Hoosiers 155-145. Kentucky’s men’s team was defeated by top-ranked IU 223-77, and by No. 15 Tennessee 216-84.
ON DECK: OHIO STATE INVITATIONAL
The meet will be the Wildcats’ last primer before their annual midseason taper, the Ohio State Invitational, which will be Nov. 17-19.
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.
