BATON ROUGE — While the start of the LSU swimming and diving season is still officially a week away, the squad will host the 15th-annual Purple and Gold Intrasquad this Friday, Sept. 26, at 3 p.m. in the LSU Natatorium.
The team will be split into two groups of 22. Captain Chris Stanczyk will lead the purple team, while seniors Stephanie Smith and Robbie Moon will be captains for the gold team.
The exhibition has become a popular event over the years with the purple team having won four out of the past eight intrasquads. Last year, the gold team won for the first time since 1995, holding off the purple squad, 223-203. The intrasquad will be the first chance for the teams to compete in a “meet-like” setting.
“What you look to accomplish is to see everyone compete because we haven’t done that yet,” said head coach Jeff Cavana. “You like to get an idea from our perspective where they are at in a competitive nature from this point in the year.”
Following the intrasquad, the team will have six days to prepare for their season opener against powerhouse Georgia in Athens on Oct. 2. The squad will then head to Clemson, S.C. for another dual meet the following day.
“Basically, we are going to look at how they do in this meet to decide who goes to Georgia, so this will be very important for us this Friday,” said Cavana.
PURPLE TEAM
Captain Chris Stanczyk, Margaret Beadle, Alyson Carlyon, Christian Clausen, Ryan Cochran, Bethany Cottingham, Alex Donkervoet, Margot Gathings, Alice Hardesty, Lauren Harvey, Myles Jaynes, Robbie Leininger, Donna Leslie, Jeannine Malbrough, Evan Martinec, Cackey Miltenberger, Jan Minartz, Margaret Anne Moore, Matthew Rucker, Mark Sisk, Rachel Taylor, James Vairo, Megan Wolters
GOLD TEAM
Captain Robbie Moon, Captain Stephanie Smith, Ryan Ashby, Colleen Bertirotti, Justin Boyes, Heather Brand, Leon Cannizzaro, Chris Cloutet, Matt Coenen, Andy Crum, Adam Hebert, Ross Hebert, Emily Johns, Andrew Keane, Neil Lowe, Hannah Martin, Cindy Martinez, Jenna Molinski, Kristin Moon, Hali Saucier, Lindsay Staak, Melissa Stanley, Jared Strecker, Jessica Wantz