LEXINGTON, Ky. — The LSU swimming team looks to continue the momentum the diving team established last week as the squad begins its portion of the Southeastern Conference Swimming Championships on Wednesday at the Lancaster Aquatic Center.
The four-day meet opens at 11 a.m. CST with the men’s 200 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay time trials. Finals of the women’s 200 medley relay and 800 free relay are at 5 p.m. CST. Events pick up on Thursday with the 500 free, 200 individual medley, 50 free and 200 free relay.
The LSU men enter the meet ranked No. 23 in the latest College Swim Coaches’ Association poll, and the LSU women are coming off a dual-meet season in which they finished over .500 for the second straight season.
Both teams went through tough dual-meet schedules. The Tigers began the season at home against No. 2 Stanford, traveled to No. 1 Auburn and returned home for meets against No. 5 Florida, No. 23 Alabama and No. 10 Florida State. LSU capped the season with an upset of the Seminoles on Jan. 12.
The Lady Tigers followed a similar slate with meets at No. 1 Auburn and then at home against No. 2 Florida and No. 7 Florida State. LSU closed with a respectable showing at fifth-ranked Texas A&M in College Station.
Four school records have been broken by the team, and those key swimmers will look to have success this week. Freshman Will Rivers, the school record holder in the 1000 and 1650 free, competes on Thursday and Saturday.
Meanwhile, sophomore Katie Gilmore shattered the 50 free school record earlier this season (22.89). Gilmore leads LSU into its strength of sprint events and relays.
Gilmore, sopho more Katherine Noland, senior Colleen Bertirotti and sophomore Sabrina Messmer comprise a 200 free relay team that takes the second-best time in the conference into the meet (1:32.26).
The four have also produced another NCAA provisional cut in the 400 free (3:24.02) and look to better that mark this week.
The men’s team is led by sophomore Julius Gloeckner, who is a candidate for SEC Swimmer of the Year. Gloeckner brings four NCAA “B” cut times into the event: 200 free (1:37.30), 500 free (4:23.62), 200 butterfly (1:47.34) and 400 IM (3:51.93).
Juniors Kevin Braud and Miko Malberg give the Tigers the most scoring depth the team has had in several seasons.
The LSU diving team has already contributed 101.5 points on the women’s side and 28 points on the men’s side. Both have finished seventh (men) and eighth (women) in each of the past three seasons. However, the Tigers are aiming for their highest finish since 2000 when the men’s squad took fifth overall.
2007 SEC Swimming Championships
Lancaster Aquatic Center
Lexington, Ky.
Wednesday’s Schedule of Events (all times Central)
11 a.m. Men’s 200 medley relay – time trial
Men’s 800 freestyle relay – time trial
5 p.m. Women’s 200 medley relay – timed final
Women’s 800 freestyle relay – timed final