FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The LSU women’s swimming and diving team will face its first Southeastern Conference road test of the season as the Lady Tigers travel to Fayetteville, Ark., to duel the 21st-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks at 1 p.m. Thursday in the Arkansas Natatorium.
LSU (0-1, 0-1 SEC) is 13-2 all-time against the Razorbacks and has won four straight in the series dating back to the 2001-02 season.
Arkansas (1-1, 1-1 SEC) split a double dual-meet on Oct. 17 to open its season, defeating Vanderbilt, 252-47, but falling to No. 10 Tennessee, 197-103.
“The women’s team is looking forward to competing in our first away SEC meet,” LSU head coach Adam Schmitt said. “It is always tough to go on the road in the SEC, and Arkansas is a strong program with some very talented swimmers. It will be a great meet.”
The Lady Tigers will look to notch their first win of the season after falling to No. 4 Florida last Thursday. Despite the loss, several swimmers began the year on a strong note and hope to carry their performances into Fayetteville.
Freshman Morgan McGee stepped up in her first collegiate meet and recorded two backstroke times registering in the school’s all-time top five. McGee, a product of Shreveport, La., swam the 100-yard backstroke in 55.50 seconds, the third-fastest time in program history, and the 200 back in 2:01.12, the fifth-fastest all-time mark at LSU. Both of her backstroke times are currently ranked in the SEC’s top 10.
Senior Vanessa Duenas also secured a top-10 program time against Florida, swimming the 200 butterfly in 2:03.66, the 10th-best mark at LSU. In addition, sophomore Jane Trepp seized a pair of runner-up finishes in the 100 breaststroke and 100 fly, and senior Victoria Givens took second- and third-place in the 200 and 100 breasts, respectively.
In diving, freshmen Katie Lybbert and Theresa Garcia made their collegiate debuts versus the Gators. Lybbert finished third in the 3-meter springboard with a score of 257.25.
The Razorbacks are led by All-Americans Katie Kastes, Madison Palmer and Stephanie Carr. Kastes won both the 200 free and 200 fly in the double dual meet against Tennessee and Vanderbilt, and Palmer emerged victorious in the 1-meter springboard. Carr took second in both long-distance freestyle races.