Head Coach Christopher Woodard <http://www.csurams.com/sports/w-swim/mtt/christopher_woodard_757297.html> and the Colorado State swimming & diving program announced its 2014-15 competition schedule on Thursday. The slate includes home dual meets against five teams, including matchups against regional rivals Wyoming and Northern Colorado and the 2013-14 Mountain West runner-up San Diego State Aztecs.
“Next season can’t come soon enough,” Woodard said. “There’s plenty of work to be done, but I’m so excited that we are continuing some long-standing rivalries and adding a few new faces to our schedule.”
The season will begin Oct. 18 at Denver. The Rams will battle against the Pioneers and Nebraska Omaha Mavericks before making their home debut the following weekend, Oct. 25, against Border War rival Wyoming.
CSU will stay in town the next two weekends, as well, hosting Idaho and San Diego State on Nov. 1 and New Mexico State on Nov. 8.
“It isn’t ideal to have meets on four consecutive weekends, but we didn’t want to pass up opportunities to race some great teams on our own turf,” Woodard said. “It should make for some explosive home meets with our heated border rival Wyoming, up-and-coming programs in Idaho and New Mexico State, and of course San Diego State, who is generally the measuring stick of excellence in the Mountain West.”
The team’s fall season will conclude with an invitational at Georgia Tech Nov. 20-22.
“Our initial focus will be to capitalize upon our momentum from this past dual-meet season and our preparation over the summer months,” Woodard said. “We have a solid veteran class, as well as some top-notch talent arriving in August. The staff expectation is to win as many meets as possible early on and perform on the boards and between the lanes at a very high level.”
CSU will pick things back up after the holiday break with a dual meet at New Mexico on Jan. 17. The Rams’ final two meets will be in the state of Colorado, against Northern Colorado (Jan. 28) and at Air Force (Jan. 31).
CSU looks to continue its sustained success against this season’s competition. In its history, CSU holds an .842 winning percentage (155-29) and a winning record against each team on this year’s schedule. The Rams have never swam against Idaho or Nebraska Omaha.
The season will culminate with the Mountain West Championships, which will again take place in San Antonio, Texas (Feb. 18-21).
“As always, the goal is to post a winning record in the regular season and climb the conference ladder,” Woodard said. “But I would be lying if I said we’re not focused on breaking some school records this season and sending someone to the NCAA Championships.”
CSU is coming off a 6-5 dual-meet record in 2013-14, the program’s best in four years. Three players earned All-Mountain West honors for their performances at the Championships, and four divers qualified for NCAA Zones. Each All-MW selection and Zones participant will return to the pool for the Rams, who lost just four athletes due to graduation.
College Swimming News courtesy of CSU Swimming & Diving.