BATON ROUGE — With the start of the swimming and diving season less than a week away, seniors Stephanie Smith, Robbie Moon and Chris Stanczyk have been named team captains for 2003-04 head coach Jeff Cavana announced Monday.
Smith, a native of Metairie, La., is coming off of an All-America campaign in 2002-03 after setting school records in the 500-yard, 1000-yard, and 1650-yard freestyle events. The senior broke her own school records in the 1000-yard and 1650-yard freestyle last year with times of 9:50.51 and 16:21.41, respectively, besting her previous times of 9:52.16 and 16:25.47.
The record-setting times in the 500-yard and 1650-yard freestyle both placed in the SEC’s top-seven performances. She also swam at the NCAA Championships for the second-consecutive year. Her efforts in 2002-03 earned her the “Most Valuable Female” award at the annual swimming and diving banquet.
Moon, coming off of a solid season, participated in every regular season meet of in 2003-04. The Catholic High (Baton Rouge) product had the second-best time of the season in the 100-yard breaststroke, 57.67, at the SEC Championships. In the classroom, he produced the highest GPA on the team earning a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
Stanczyk, will enter the 2003-04 season with high expectations. The native of Waukesha, Wis., posted the Tigers’ best time in the 200-yard freestyle last season, 1:37.03, at the SEC Championships. He also swam in the 200-yard and 400-yard freestyle relays at the SEC Championships, teaming with three other Tigers to earn fourth-place honors in both events. He also earned SEC Academic Honor Roll honors in the classroom with a major in mass communication.
LSU will hold its annual Purple and Gold Intrasquad this Friday, Sept. 26 at 3 p.m. in the LSU Natatorium. The Tigers will officially begin the season the following week on Thurs., Oct. 2, with a dual meet at Georgia.