FLAGSTAFF, Az. – The LSU swimming and diving team opens the season with the first full squad competition Friday and Saturday as the women’s team faces off against Wyoming and Northern Arizona and the men’s team competes against Wyoming at NAU’s Wall Aquatic Center.
Competition begins Thursday at 6 p.m. CT and the teams return to the pool at 11 a.m. CT Saturday for the final day of competition. At 7,000 feet elevation, Flagstaff, Arizona poses a challenge for the swimming team. The Center is also different in that it is short course meters instead of short course yards.
“This meet is going to pose a lot of challenges for our team with the elevation and size of the pool,” LSU swimming coach Dave Geyer said. “Wyoming and Northern Arizona are talented teams and we are racing in their environment. It is important for us to go in and be prepared to compete.
The two-day meet marks the first time that LSU has faced off against either Wyoming or Northern Arizona in a dual meet. The Lady Tigers are coming off of a victory over Tulane to begin the season. The men are set to race for the first time during the 2015-16 season.
Alex Linge and Andrew Suchla lead the way for the men in the swimming and diving events. Linge, a senior from Linköping, Sweden, is a two-time NCAA relay participant for the Tigers and is a part of two school relay records. Suchla finished sixth on three-meter at last season’s SEC Championships with the eighth-highest score in school history.
Juniors Silas Dejean and Logan Rysemus both reached NCAA’s last season and were a part of the school record 400-medley relay teams. Rysemus set the second-fastest 100 back time in school history last season. Dejean also set the sixth-fastest 100 breast time and ninth-fastest 200 breast times in school history.
In the opening dual meet, Megan Cox and Kara Kopcso led the way for the Lady Tigers by each winning two individual events. Cox took first in the 100 free with a time of 50.55 and the 200 fly with a time of 2:02.70.
Kopcso once again shined for the Lady Tigers with victories in the 200 free (1:48.36) and 200 IM (2:01.14). The Mandeville, Louisiana native’s time in the 200 IM is the fifth-fastest in the country.
The freshmen also made an immediate impact on the swimming side against the Green Wave. Haylee Knight earned her first collegiate victory in the 100 back with a time of 56.19. Knight also added a third-place finish in the 100 free with a time of 51.52.
The Lady Tiger divers performed well on one-meter and three-meter against Tulane. Five divers earned the zone qualifying scores to open the season. LSU swept the springboard events with victories by Allie Alter on one-meter (282.30) and Cassie Weil on three-meter (351.23).
“This will be a great opportunity for our teams to come together and set the stage for how we want to present ourselves,” LSU diving coach Doug Shaffer said. “This will set the standard and tone as we move throughout the rest of the season as well.”
A full recap will be available on lsusports.net following the meet. For more information and updates on LSU Swimming and Diving please visit LSUsports.net, ‘like’ us on Facebook at LSU Swimming and Diving or follow us on Twitter @LSUswimdive.
Order of Events
Day One
400 Medley Relay
800 Freestyle
200 Freestyle
50 Backstroke
50 Breaststroke
200 Butterfly
50 Freestyle
Break
100 Freestyle
200 Backstroke
200 Breaststroke
400 Freestyle
50 Butterfly
Break
200 IM
4 x 50 Freestyle Relay
Day two format
200 Medley Relay
400 IM
200 Freestyle
50 Freestyle
Break
100 Butterfly
100 Freestyle
100 Backstroke
400 Freestyle
100 IM
Break
100 Breaststroke
4 x 100 Freestyle relay