The Houston Cougar Swimming & Diving team will split its squad and compete in two separate meets this weekend with swimmers going to Nashville, Tenn., to compete in the Vanderbilt Tri-Meet and the divers traveling to Clemson, S.C., to compete in the Clemson Tri-Meet at the McHugh Natatorium.
The two-day meet begins Friday at 2 p.m. with Saturday’s session will beginning at 11 a.m. The swimming team will compete against Arkansas and Vanderbilt, while the diving team will face Arkansas and Clemson.
Friday’s Events:
200 Freestyle Relay, 1000 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle, 100 Backstroke, 100 Breaststroke, 200 Butterfly, 50 Freestyle, 200 IM, 400 Medley Relay
Saturday’s Events:
200 Medley Relay, 400 IM, 100 Freestyle, 200 Backstroke, 100 Butterfly, 500 Freestyle, 200 Breaststroke, 400 Freestyle Relay
LAST TIME OUT
The University of Houston Swimming & Diving team opened the 2017 portion of their schedule with a 200-96 win over the University of the Incarnate Word led by junior Micaela Bouter on the boards and freshman Peyton Kondis and junior Sharo Rodriguez in the pool each wining two individual events at Anne Barshop Natatorium.
RETURNERS
Houston is returning six of seven student-athletes from the 2016 All-American Conference Team. Sophomore Koutsouveli swept the backstroke events and podiumed in the 400 IM at the 2016 American Championships. Fellow Sophomore Hannah Herbst won the 500-yard freestyle and placed third in the 1,650-yard freestyle.
On the boards, diver Taylor Olanski will look to four-peat in the platform, while Bouter looks to defend her 3-meter crown.
Back in the pool, junior Grijalva won bronze in the 100-yard breaststroke, and senior Jasmine Williams earned a bronze medal in the 100-yard backstroke.
NEWCOMERS
The Cougars’ 2016 signing class includes Miami (Fla.) transfer Ksenia Yuskova along with freshmen Hanna Blewett, Zarena Brown, Lauren Burrell, Gaby Jimenez, Kondis, Laura Laderoute, Sydney Larson, Claire Liptak, Emily Longfellow, Hannah Middleton, Victoria Roubique and Isabel Tank.
UP NEXT
The Cougars will travel to Baton Rouge, La. to compete in the LSU Quad Meet for their final meet of the regular season on Jan. 27-28. Houston will face No. 25 LSU, Rice and Tulane.
COUGARS TO HOST AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Houston will host the American Athletic Conference Championships for the second consecutive year as the best swimmers and divers in the league visit the CRWC from Feb. 15-18. Following the conference meet, the Cougars will look to close the season at the NCAA Championships, to be held March 15-18 in Indianapolis, Ind.
FOLLOW THE COUGARS!
Fans can keep up with the latest in University of Houston Cougar athletics by following us on Facebook (Facebook.com/HoustonAthletics), Twitter (@UHCougars), Instagram (houstoncougars) and YouTube.com (Youtube.com/UHAthletics). In addition, the swimming & diving team has established its own official Facebook (Facebook.com/HoustonCougarSwimmingDiving) and Twitter pages (@UHCougarSwim), which provide regular updates on the team and live results during home meets.
News courtesy of Houston Athletics.