BATON ROUGE — The LSU swimming and diving teams will kick off the 2009-10 season with the programs’ annual Purple and Gold Intrasquad Meet Friday at 3 p.m. (CDT) in the LSU Natatorium.
The meet will feature a mix of athletes from both the men’s and women’s teams competing against one another as they prepare for the dual-meet opener against Southeastern Conference foe Tennessee in mid-October. Team co-captains Sean LeNeave and Kannon Betzen will be in charge of the Purple team, while fellow co-captains James Meyers and Jane Trepp will lead the Gold squad.
“Every year we have this meet early on, and it’s a great way to see our athletes in action,” head coach Adam Schmitt said. “It’s an early test with a pair of relatively young teams, and it should give us a better idea of where the athletes are at and which events might be good fits for them as we prepare for the upcoming dual-meet season.”
The Lady Tigers return nine letterwinners from last year’s team, including Trepp, a three-time All-American who helped the squad finish 16th nationally at the 2009 NCAA Championships. However, the program is eagerly anticipating the debut of its highly-touted freshman class, which was ranked in the top 15 nationally by CollegeSwimming.com and should feature several impact performers.
LSU fans will also get their first look at sophomore Mary Beck, an elite transfer from California who should be one of the Lady Tigers’ top swimmers this season. A former two-time National High School Swimmer of the Year, Beck raced in three events at NCAA’s in her first collegiate season.
The men’s program has 18 letterwinners returning, including two All-Americans in LeNeave and junior Hannes Heyl, and like the women’s team, will welcome a top-15 freshman class with a number of dynamic athletes such as international swimmers Andrei Tuomola and Craig Hamilton.
In diving, sophomores Matt Vieke and Brian Gemberling will spearhead the men’s efforts after solid freshman campaigns. On the women’s side, diving coach Doug Shaffer signed a pair of talented freshmen in Rebecca St. Germain and Elle Schmidt who should be significant contributors right away.
The meet is also a part of the 2009 SEC Together We CAN Drive, a partnership between the conference and its member institutions to collect food and financial donations for local food banks and shelters. The food items and proceeds that LSU collects will benefit the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, and fans will have the opportunity to donate at the competition.
The LSU Natatorium is located on the corner of West Chimes Street and Nicholson Drive next to the Carl Maddox Field house. Admission is free.