Courtesy: Oakland Athletics
ROCHESTER, Mich. – Oakland men’s and women’s swimming and diving head coach Pete Hovland announced the 2021-22 schedule on Friday which includes seven regular season home meets at the Oakland Aquatic Center. Additionally, the Golden Grizzlies will host the annual ‘Oakland Ray’ Alumni Meet and the Black vs. Gold Intrasquad meet.
“I’m really excited about our schedule this year and the challenge it brings. I’ve always felt that in order for us to be the best we’ve got to swim against the best,” Head Coach Pete Hovland said. “With this schedule I believe we have positioned our athletes with the necessary challenge. If we can handle the pressure of competing against championship level teams from the Big 10, Big East, MAC, MVC, A-10, GLIAC as well as the Horizon League, week-in-and-week-out we should be battle-hardened by the time the Horizon League Championships, NCAAs, and the CSCAA/NIC meets come around.”
Fans can get their first look at the Golden Grizzlies at this year’s ‘Oakland Ray’ Alumni Meet, Saturday, Sept. 11 at 1 p.m. Oakland will also host its annual Black and Gold meet Friday, Oct. 1 at 6:30 p.m.
The defending Horizon League champions will host two meets this season against league foes beginning with UIC (11/6). Oakland will also welcome Youngstown State (1/15) to the Oakland Aquatic Center for senior day.
The Golden Grizzlies non-conference home meets include Toledo (10/22), Xavier (10/23), Grand Valley (11/5), Eastern Michigan (W) (11/12), and Miami of Ohio (11/13). Oakland’s match up against GVSU on Friday, Nov. 5 at 5 p.m. will serve as its annual parent’s weekend.
Additionally, Oakland will host the USA Michigan Open Feb. 11-13.
Oakland, winners of eight-straight Horizon League titles, will compete in the league championships Feb. 16-19 hosted by IUPUI.
The CSCAA National Invitational Championships will be held March 10-12 in Elkhart, Ind.
This year’s NCAA Division I Championships will take place in Atlanta with the women’s championship beginning on March 16th and the Men’s Championship beginning a week later.