RedHawk Swimmers Host Miami Invitational
12/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Swimming and Diving
Dec. 3, 2008
OXFORD, Ohio--Miami University's Nixon Aquatic Center will be the host venue for the 15th Annual Miami Swimming and Diving Invitational, December 4-5-6.
Participating in the five-session aquatic extravaganza with Miami's men's and women's teams are the men's and women's squads from Denison University, Emory University, Oakland University, the University of Cincinnati and Wright State University, and women's teams from Florida Gulf Coast University, the University of Illinois and Marshall University.
Coach Dave Jennings Miami University women's swimming and diving team is currently ranked number one in the CSCAA/CollegeSwimming.com Mid-Major Division I poll. The poll ranks the schools from non-BCS conferences four times each year and emphasizes success in dual meet competition. It's the first time Miami has held the top spot since February, 2007. Miami started the season with a double-dual, losing to nationally ranked Louisville and beating Purdue, but has since won six straight dual meets, including five-of-five against Mid-Major opponents.
The Miami men's team, coached by Pete Lindsay, is 2-5 in dual meet competition this season. The RedHawks have beaten Evansville and Xavier thus far in 2008-09. Individually, three Miami swimmers--MIKE CARROLL, DAVE BROWN and diver CHRIS HEATON--have been named Mid-American Conference Swimmers of the Week so far this year.
Altogether, more than 350 student-athletes will participate this weekend at Miami. A number of outstanding individual performers will be on display.
The women's field includes:
* Miami's Kasey Carpenter (In her debut at Miami since transferring from Wisconsin, Carpenter won MAC Swimmer of the Week honors on Oct. 29. She raced in four total events (in two meets) that week, taking first three times and finishing second in the other race. Her time of 2:01.57 in the 200-backstroke vs. Louisville and Purdue was Miami's third-best time ever, and her time of :57.51 in the 100-backstroke was the eighth-best time ever.)
* Miami's Allison Stevens (Was named the Mid-American Conference's co-Swimmer of the Week on Nov. 12. Stevens won six events in Miami's dual meet victories over Toledo and Bowling Green. Against the Rockets, Stevens swept all three freestyle events - 50 (:24.09), 100 (:52.25) and 200 (1:57.72). Versus the Falcons, she won the 50 freestyle (:2403), the 100 butterfly (:57.52) and was a member of the 400 medley relay (3:56.66).
* Illinois' MARISSA CLAPP (Nine-time winner in 2008-09 in breaststroke and IM)
* Illinois' CECE MARIZU (Five-time winner in 2008-09 in backstroke and IM)
* Oakland's SOPHIA GUSTAFSSON (Was named Swimmer of the Year at the 2008 Summit League Championship, where she won three events and was a member of the all-league first team. She currently holds four season-best times for the Golden Grizzlies.)
* Oakland's AGNES SOLAN (Earned Newcomer of the Year accolades at the 2008 Summit League Championship, where she was named all-league in seven events, being named to the first team. Her 1:58.95 finish in the 200 back was an NCAA B cut. A school record-holder in two events, she has been named league Swimmer of the Week twice this season.)
* Denison's OLIVIA ZALESKI (Member of the 2008 national champion 200 medley relay team ... 14-time All-American, five-time NCAC champ and a two-time NCAA qualifier.)
* Denison's KSENIA GOLOVKINA (Member of the 2008 national champion 200 medley relay team ... three-time All-American ... four-time NCAC champion)
* Emory's RUTH WESTBY (Westby was the 2008 NCAA Division III Nation Champion in the 50-yard freestyle, setting a school record in the event with a time of 23.40 seconds. The 2008 University Athletic Association Swimmer of the Year has earned 13 All-America certificates over the past two seasons, and is the school record holder in all three freestyle sprint events, and as part of three relay teams.)
The men's field includes:
* Miami's MIKE CARROLL (Named the MAC Swimmer of the Week on Oct. 29. A product of Toledo's St. Francis DeSales High School, Carroll posted victories in the 100 breaststroke--59.30--and the 200 breaststroke--2:11.71--in a 148-112 victory over Xavier.)
* Miami's DAVE BROWN (Won MAC Swimmer of the Week honors on Nov. 5. Brown had a career-best performance in Miami's 187-113 loss to highly ranked Purdue, taking three first-place finishes. Brown captured the 50-yard freestyle in :21.29, the 100-yard freestyle in :46.98, and the 200-yard freestyle in 1:43.09. His times in the 50- and 100- frees are second-best among all MAC/Sun Belt Conference swimmers this season.)
* Miami's Chris Heaton (Named MAC Swimmer of the Week on Nov. 18. Heaton dominated diving events for Miami in competitions at Ohio State and Cleveland State, winning three of the four events in which he entered.)
* Cincinnati's JOSH SCHNEIDER (NCAA All-American and BIG EAST Champion in the 50 freestyle in 2007-08. He also placed 16th in the same event at the U.S. Olympic Trials during the summer, narrowly missing a slot in the finals. Schneider also set school records in both the 50 and 100.)
* Oakland's MARCIN UNOLD (Named Swimmer of the Year and league first-team member at the 2008 Summit League Championship after breaking seven meet records and three school records, he went on to make to NCAA B cuts in the 100 back and 200 back, where he placed ninth and fifth, respectively. Has been named league Swimmer of the Week twice this season.)
* Oakland's AARON HOLDSWORTH (In 2008, earned all-league honors in three events, including being a member of the first team, and has defended his championship title in the 200 fly for the third straight year. He made an NCAA B cut in the 200 fly with a time of 1:47.54. Currently holds the team season-best times in the 100 and 200 fly.)
* Denison's DAVID CURTIS (Seven-time NCAA Champion and an 18-time All-American, Curtis has helped Denison to a third-place finish at the NCAA D-III Swimming and Diving Championship last year and a pair of second-place finishes as a freshman and sophomore.)
* Emory's KEITH DIGGS (Diggs was the 2008 NCAA Division III National Champion in the 400-yard individual medley, winning the event in a time of 3:54.80, less than a second shy of the Division III record. The team co-captain also earned all-America honors in the 1,650-yard freestyle in 2008, finishing second at the NCAA Championship meet.)
* Denison's JOHN GEISSINGER (A three-time NCAA Champion and a 15-time All-American, Geissinger is the Big Red's freestyle relay threat. He has been a part of two straight NCAA championships in the 800 free relay.)
On Thursday (Dec. 4), the first session begins at 6 p.m. Friday's (Dec. 5) sessions start at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., and Saturday's events also commence at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Admission is $5 each day for adults, $2 for youngsters ages three to 12, and free admission for kids two years old and younger. The price of admission includes free heat sheets. Miami students are admitted free of charge and will be charged $2 each day for heat sheets.
--www.MURedHawks.com--
Players Mentioned
