BATON ROUGE — The LSU swimming and diving team selected team captains for the 2002-03 season this weekend, head coach Jeff Cavana announced on Monday.
Senior diver Kyle VanArsdall, junior Chris Stanczyk, and junior Laura Jo Leininger were each selected by team vote during the weekend to represent the squad this season.
VanArsdall, a native of Grapevine, Texas, is the lone male diver on the Tiger squad and is a three-year letterman. He scored in all three diving events at the Southeastern Conference Championships a year ago and was given the “Clutch” award for the men’s team by the LSU coaching staff at the annual team banquet last May. VanArsdall has competed twice at the SEC Championships in his career and has also made one appearance at the NCAA Championships.
Stanczyk, a junior from Brookfield, Wisc., was named the “Most Improved Male” on the team last season by Cavana and his staff. He made his second-consecutive trip to the SEC Championships last year and posted the fifth-best time in school history (1:38.43) in the 200-yard freestyle. Stanczyk also placed 13th in the consolation final of the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 45.06.
Leininger, a junior from Mandeville, La., once again competed at the SEC Championships last season. She placed ninth in the consolation final of the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 54.87, the second-fastest mark in school history. She also placed 16th in the 200-yard fly with a time of 2:05.86. Leininger also received the “Coaches” award at the banquet.
LSU will hold its annual Purple-Gold Intrasquad on Fri. Oct. 4 at 3 p.m. in Baton Rouge at the LSU Natatorium. LSU then opens its season with a key conference meet against Auburn the following day at noon at the LSU Natatorium.