BATON ROUGE — The LSU men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams are poised and ready for Friday’s Southeastern Conference meet versus its archrival the Alabama Crimson Tide.
“This is our biggest meet of the semester,” said LSU head coach Jeff Cavana. “It’s a huge rivalry, both of their teams are very improved from last year, and they have a new staff. Tomorrow’s meet is going to be a war.”
Both LSU swimming and diving teams enter Friday’s meet with unblemished records. The Lady Tigers possess a 3-0 dual-meet record, while the men’s team is also undefeated with a 2-0 mark.
LSU’s meet versus Alabama marks the first SEC meet of the season for both the Tigers and the Lady Tigers. In its previous three-dual meets of the 2000-01 season, the LSU women’s team has defeated non-conference opponents: Houston, 133-94, Wright State, 139-96, and UL-Monroe, 156-74.
The Tigers’ two victories have come against Wright State, 141-94, and UL-Monroe, 141-96.
The Alabama Crimson Tide heads into Friday’s meet with one-dual meet of experience under their belt this season. In an earlier SEC battle, the Tide split a dual meet with Florida. Alabama’s men were victorious, 127-110, while the Crimson Tide’s women were dropped, 136-102.
“Since I started coaching here in 1989, we have only lost to Alabama once at home,” explained Cavana. “The atmosphere of being at home and the fans help out tremendously during a huge meet. Our swimmers love it when it gets loud and crazy, and hopefully the fans will turn out tomorrow to cheer us on.”
LSU has indeed swept the home meets versus the Crimson Tide in every meeting since 1988 except for the one held in Baton Rouge in 1994. The Lady Tigers were defeated, 138-105, and the men’s team fell, 140-102.
Last season in Tuscaloosa, Ala., both LSU swimming and diving teams were successful against the Crimson Tide. The Lady Tigers picked up the win, 139.50-101.50, while the Tigers dominated Alabama in a 154-84 victory.
The LSU swimming and diving teams will take on the Alabama Crimson Tide at 3 p.m. on Friday in the LSU Natatorium.