SPRINGFIELD – The ‘Duel in the Pool’ annual series between Missouri State and the crosstown rival Drury swimming and diving teams hits the water Friday, Oct. 16, as the Bears host the Panthers at Hammons Student Center during the Bears’ Homecoming weekend.
Racing events start after introductions at approximately 6 p.m. while the 3-meter diving competition for both men and women will take place at 4:45 p.m. Friday’s meeting will be the first of two this season, with the Bears heading to Drury’s Breech Pool on Jan. 21, 2016.
Order of Events – Duel in the Pool (Oct. 16, 2015)
3-Meter Diving (4:45 p.m.)
400 Medley Relay (6 p.m.)
1000 Free
200 Free
50 Free
200 IM
1-Meter Diving
200 Fly
100 Free
200 Back
500 Free
200 Breast
400 Free Relay
About Drury
The Bears and Panthers meet in dual action for the first time this season Friday after each competed at the Show-Me Showdown on Oct. 2. In the opening meet of the year, the Missouri State men’s squad placed second with 365 team points, 116 points ahead of Drury which finished in fourth. The Panthers earned runner-up in the Showdown with 346 points on the women’s side, narrowly outdistancing themselves from the MSU squad which placed third (332).
The Missouri State men’s team evened the all-time series at 15-15 with Drury by sweeping the 2014-15 season meetings at Hammons Student Center (131-112) and Breech Pool (126-108). The Panthers’ women’s team took both meetings from the Bears in 2014-15 to improve their record all-time over MSU to 14-4, but MSU held a lead heading into the final event at home versus Drury before the Panthers took first place in the 400 free relay for the victory.
Both the Panthers’ men’s and women’s teams come into the 2015-16 season after finishing runner-up at the NCAA Division II National Championships.
Last Weekend Overview
Missouri State held its first dual meets of the year at Hammons Student Center as the Bears hosted conference foes Evansville and Southern Illinois.
The Missouri State men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams both captured 152 points to power past Evansville in the pool Friday, Oct. 9. The Bears’ women’s squad topped the Purple Aces 152-77, while the MSU men’s team earned a 152-84 victory over conference foe Evansville. Missouri State won 24 of the 26 events competed in during the dual, with the women’s team picking up first place in all 13 of its events.
Both the Missouri State men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams held leads heading into the final event of their dual against the Salukis on Saturday, Oct. 10, but only the Bears’ men’s team came away with a win as they defeated SIU 121-110 and the MSU women’s team fell to the Salukis, 125-116.
Despite the loss on the women’s side, both swim teams showed their capabilities in the 200-yard breaststroke heading into the 400 free relay.
Lauren Pavel won the event in a time of 2 minutes, 43.42 seconds. Olivia Gean finished runner-up with a 2:27.00 finish, while Kaylee Larson (2:27.04) and Andi Burroughs (2:28.62) got third and fifth, respectively. The men’s squad put the dual out of reach in the 200 breast with Artur Osvath touching the wall first (2:03.44), Christopher Heye coming in second (2:06.71) and Isaac Springer placing fourth (2:09.99)
Alumni/Intrasquad Meet
The Missouri State swimming and diving teams will be hosting its annual Alumni/Intrasquad meet at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17. Admission is free to the public as the current Bears take on the MSU alumni from inside Hammons Student Center.
Swimmer of the Week Round-up
The Missouri State men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have combined to have three swimmers earn Swimmer of the Week honors through the first two weekends of events.
Freshman Artur Osvath is the latest addition to the conference honoree list after duals against Evansville and Southern Illiniois.
The Budapest, Hungary, native earned five first-place finishes and had a runner-up showing during the span of conference duals to be recognized as the Mid-American Men’s Swimmer of the Week. He won his first collegiate race in the 200 free (1:43.12) and his 2:03.44 finish in the 200 breast gave him the fastest time in the event among all MAC swimmers.
Previously, senior Uvis Kalnins and freshman Josie Pearson earned Swimmer of the Week awards in their respective conferences.
Kalnins was named the MAC Men’s Swimmer of the Week on Oct. 8 after an impressive 2015-16 start to his senior campaign by winning the 200 individual medley at the Show-Me Showdown. Kalnins took the 200 IM in a time of 1:49.16, only .07 seconds away from an NCAA ‘B’ standard in just the Bears’ first meet of the season. He also finished runner-up in both an individual and relay event.
Pearson was recognized as the Missouri Valley Conference Swimmer of the Week by finishing with two top-10 finishes at the Show-Me Showdown. The freshman had one of the top showings for Missouri State at the meet by earning runner-up in the 100 butterfly (57.49). She earned seventh out of 50 swimmers in the 200 individual medley (2:07.94), placing behind five members of the host Tigers and a member of the NCAA Division II 2014-15 runner-up Drury squad.
A Glance at the Rankings
After beginning the season at No. 18 in the opening CollegeSwimming.com Rankings, the Bears’ men’s swimming and diving team is currently listed at No. 34 among Division I squads. The rankings utilize a point system based on NCAA time standards, predicted qualifying times and percentile rankings from the past four seasons.
Both MSU teams appear in the Division I Mid-Major Rankings.
The men’s squad sits in 14th with 653.62 points for its performance at the Show-Me Showdown, while the women’s squad moved up to 27th with 623.14 points after its home dual against Southern Illinois.
Men’s Swimming and Diving Second in Preseason Poll
The Missouri State men’s swimming and diving team was selected to finish second in the Mid-American Conference preseason coaches’ poll, announced Thursday, Oct. 1
Behind a roster that returned 13 letterwinners and six all-conference performers with the addition of seven newcomers, the Bears received two first-place votes and were picked ahead of MAC members Buffalo, Southern Illinois, Miami, Ball State and Evansville. Eastern Michigan received five first-place votes and was selected as the preseason favorite to win the MAC Championship.
Swimming news courtesy of Missouri State Swimming & Diving.