HOUSTON – The 2015-16 swimming and diving season has reached its crescendo, and the University of Houston is set play host to the 2016 American Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships. Competition runs from Feb. 15-20 at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center.
Live video coverage of the regular season-ending event will be carried live through the American Digital Network. Finals coverage begins at 5 pm CT on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with the stream beginning at 4:35 pm CT on Saturday as The American broadcasts their senior recognition ceremony.
Houston will be looking to repeat three titles after sweeping the diving events in the 2015 American Championships. Taylor Olanski won the platform diving title, for the second year in a row, and the 3-meter diving title last season and was crowned Most Outstanding Diver, and Danielle Shedd was the 1-meter diving champion.
With a victory in conference, Olanski would become the 10th Cougar to win four individual conference crowns.
The Cougars will be looking for their first team conference title this week. Houston has earned five second place finishes in conference meets, most recently finishing as runner-up in the 2013 Conference USA meet.
Wochomurka Era
In his first season as head coach, Ryan Wochomurka has had four swimmers break five program records (Ashley Grijalva 100 and 200 breast, Hannah Herbst 1,000 free, Eleanna Koutsouveli 200 back and Delia Weber 1,650 free) and two of those five set NCAA B-cut times (Grijalva and Koutsouveli). Under Wochomurka’s tutelage, 13 different swimmers have set personal best this season.
The Cougars won two dual meets this season, including one against Rice, the programs first win over the Owls since Oct. 10, 2009.
Four Houston swimmers and divers earned American laurels this season and will be looking to cap the conference campaign with titles.
Micaela Bouter was named the conference’s top diver four times this season, her last conference honor was Jan. 26 after her impressive performance at the Arkansas Quad Meet. The Johannesburg, South Africa native won the overall 3-meter title and placed third in the 1-meter.
A pair of freshman grabbed American Swimmer of the Week honors this season. Weber was the first freshman Houston swimmer to pick up a conference weekly laurel. The Houston native was named swimmer of the week after posting the then top finishing time in the conference in the 1,000-yard freestyle. Koutsouveli earned the honor Feb. 2 after the Houston Quad Meet. In her first colligate appearance in the 400-yard IM, the freshman posted the second best time in the American Conference.
Grijalva also was named swimmer of the week on Nov. 24, 2015 after posting a NCAA B standard time as well as breaking two school records in the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke.
The Cougars are coming off of two wins over Rice and Tulane at the Houston Quad Meet, held Jan. 30-31. Freshman Herbst placed first overall in the 1,000-yard freestyle, setting a school record and the best finish in the American Conference. Bouter paced the divers with an overall win in the 3-meter dive and a third place result in the 1-meter.
Competition on Wednesday begins at noon CT with diving, and swimming relays will take place beginning at 6 pm CT. On the final three days, swimming preliminaries begin at 10 am CT, diving will follow at 12:30 am CT, and swimming finals start at 5 pm CT. A complete schedule and links to live video streaming can be found at The American’s Championships Central Page.
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Swimming news courtesy of Houston Swimming & Diving.