COLUMBIA, Mo.— The LSU swimming and diving team opens postseason with the 2016 Southeastern Conference Swimming and Diving Championships Feb. 16-20 at the University of Missouri Aquatic Center.
The conference prelims begin every morning at 10 a.m. (CT). Finals for swimming events begin at 6 p.m. (CT) Wednesday-Saturday and at 5:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday.
Live results can be found at http://stats.mutigers.com/live/sec/ throughout the week’s events. Live video of both swimming and diving prelims and finals will be available on SECNetwork+ (Watch ESPN) each day. ESPN U will air a 90-minute highlight show for the men and women. The men’s show will air March 2 at 3 p.m. (CT) and the women’s show will air March 3 at 4:30 p.m. (CT).
“This has been our main focal point for the season,” LSU swimming coach Dave Geyer said. “Our goal at the beginning of the year is to prepare the way we need to do to have great conference championships. The goal sets up the next phase into NCAA Championships.”
The 20th-ranked women’s team compiled a strong dual meet season, finishing with a 12-1 record. The Lady Tigers own six times ranked in the country’s top-25. Last season, the women finished fifth at SEC’s.
Junior Kara Kopcso owns the eight-fastest 200 fly (1:55.50), ninth-fastest 200 IM (1:56.55) and 16th-fastest 100 fly (52.47) times in the country. Kopcso has collected 12 individual wins this season and also set the school record in the 200 IM at the Texas A&M Invite.
At last season’s SEC meet, Kopcso reached the final of the 100 and 200 fly and finished in seventh and eighth place respectively. Kopcso was also a part of the 800-freestyle relay team that set the school record last season.
Leah Troskot has dominated the sprint freestyle events, sweeping the 50 and 100 free in all four meets during the month of January. Troskot set three personal best times this season to improve on LSU’s top-10 times list. The junior now owns the third-fastest 100 free, fourth-fastest 200 free and is tied for the fifth-fastest 50 free time in school history.
Danielle Stirrat set the 21st-fastest 200 free time in the country at the Texas A&M Invite. The senior swam the second-fastest 200 back time in school history (1:55.18) at the midseason meet. Fellow senior Megan Cox set two personal bests this season in the 50 and 100 free. Cox has 10 wins this season for LSU.
The Lady Tiger divers are led by Cassie Weil and Madison Sthamann. Weil is the reigning SEC champion on platform. The senior set the school record in the event last season with a score of 331.70. Weil is a five-time All-American and has 10 wins this season for LSU.
Sophomore Madison Sthamann owns the third-highest platform school history. Sthamann has set personal bests on one-meter and three-meter this season. Last season, Sthamann finished fifth on platform at the conference meet.
“I think we are in a really good spot as a team going into the SEC Championships,” LSU diving coach Doug Shaffer said. “The women have an opportunity to do some terrific things I’m expecting us to have a pretty good performance. The excitement is building, and the athletes are looking forward to this unique experience.”
The LSU men are ranked 25th in the latest CSCAA poll and looking to improve off of a ninth-place finish at the meet last season. The Tigers travel a young squad to Columbia with only nine upperclassmen holding spots on the 22-man roster.
The Tigers are led by swimmers Alex Linge, Brandon Goldman, and Logan Rysemus. Also looking to make a splash at his first SEC meet is freshman Thomas Smith. The Huntington Beach, California native set the school record in the 200 back with a time of 1:42.77 and the sixth-fastest 200 IM time in school history (1:47.75) at midseason.
Linge, the lone male senior, heads into his conference meet as the top freestyler for the men’s team. He owns the fastest 50 free, 100 free and 200 free times on the team. Linge set personal bests in the 50 and 200 free at midseason, including the sixth-fastest 200 free time in school history of 1:36.72. At SEC’s last season, Linge finished sixth in the championship final of the 200 fly.
Rysemus is 13th in the country in the 100 fly (46.41) and 18th in the 100 back (46.61). Already this season, Rysemus has set the second-fastest 100 back and fourth-fastest 100 fly time in school history. The Tacoma, Washington native is looking to improve off of one ‘B’ final and two ‘C’ final appearances at conference last season.
Andrew Suchla tops the young group of male divers for LSU. Suchla has already set a best score on platform this season. The junior reached the final of three-meter last season annd finished sixth in the event with a score of 373.80.
“We have a really young squad that we are taking, but we have enough veteran leadership on hand to balance out that lack of experience,” Geyer added. “There is a great amount of excitement on the pool deck from our athletes, and we are looking forward to the greatest conference championships in the NCAA.”
A full recap will be available on lsusports.net at the conclusion of each day. 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.
Schedule of Events
Tuesday, February 16
Women’s 1-meter (Prelims)-11 a.m.
Men’s 3-meter (Prelims)- 2:15 p.m.
Women’s 1-meter (Finals)- 5:30 p.m.
200 medley relay (Finals)- 6:15 p.m.
Men’s 3-meter (Finals)- 6:30 p.m.
800 Freestyle relay (Finals)- 7:15 p.m.
Wednesday, February 17
500 freestyle (Prelims)- 10 a.m.
200 IM (Prelims)
50 free (Prelims)
Men’s 1-meter (Prelims) 1 p.m.
500 freestyle (Finals)- 6 p.m.
200 IM (Finals)
50 Free (Finals)
Men’s 1-meter (Finals)
200 Freestyle Relay (Finals)
Thursday, February 18
400 IM (Prelims)- 10 a.m.
100 Fly
200 Freestyle
Women’s 3-meter- 12 p.m.
400 IM (Finals)- 6 p.m.
100 Butterfly (Finals)
Women’s 3- meter (Final)
200 Freestyle (Finals)
Friday, February 19
200 Butterfly (Prelims)- 10 a.m.
100 Backstroke (Prelims
100 Breaststroke (Prelims)
Men’s Platform (Prelims)- 12 p.m.
200 Butterfly (Finals)- 6 p.m.
100 Backstroke (Finals)
100 Breaststroke (Finals)
Men’s Platform (Final)
400 Medley Relay (Finals)
Saturday, February 20
100 Freestyle (Prelims)- 10 a.m.
200 Backstroke (Prelims)
200 Breaststroke (Prelims)
Women’s Platform (Prelims)- 12 p.m.
1650 Freestyle (Finals)- 6 p.m.
100 Freestyle (Final)
200 Backstroke (Final)
200 Breaststroke (Final)
Women’s Platform (Final)
400 Freestyle Relay
*All times listed in CT.