KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Two days after facing off against a talented Kentucky squad, the LSU swimming and diving team continues its competitive schedule when it travels to Knoxville to compete against nationally ranked Tennessee and Virginia on Saturday at Noon ET.
Saturday’s double-dual will be the third and fourth time the Tigers have faced a ranked team this season. The LSU men (0-2) were defeated by No. 12 Kentucky on Thursday, 138-94. The LSU women (1-2) dropped a 140-96 decision to the Wildcat women.
Virginia’s men squad (5-0) enters the meet ranked No. 9 in the nation. Following closely behind are the 11th-ranked Tennessee men (2-1). Virginia’s women (6-0) hold a No. 16 national ranking, while the Lady Vols (3-1) sit at 23rd in the latest CSCAA polls.
“Tennessee has always been a top-10 program in the SEC and Virginia is a constant in the top 10 every year,” said LSU head coach Adam Schmitt. “Those programs have done a great job over the years, continually having a competitive swim program. We are trying to work our way up in the SEC and this is the way to do it, to see if we can compete with them.”
LSU has only faced Virginia once in its history when the Lady Tigers were defeated by the Cavaliers during the 1984-85 season. Tennessee swept the Tigers at Baton Rouge in the last meeting between the two during the 2002-03 campaign.
Schmitt added that the competitive schedule is a way to expand the program and prepare the squad for the SEC and NCAA Championships.
“I want to schedule the best teams possible, just like everyone does in all of the other sports,” said Schmitt. “Smaller teams play the big ones for a reason — to play up to their level and earn exposure. It is a way to gain confidence and grow as a team. If we keep swimming the same teams and not extending ourselves, we will never get better as a team. I look forward to swimming against this competition as much as possible.”