Dec. 1, 2005
Columbia, S.C. – The University of South Carolina swimming and diving teams return to action this weekend competing at the 2005 Bulldog Invitational. The meet is scheduled to run from Friday, Dec. 2 through Sunday, Dec. 4 with Carolina to face against several highly ranked teams across the nation. Prelims will begin at 9:30 a.m. each day, with finals set for 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and for 3 p.m. on Sunday. The women will compete against top ranked Georgia, fifth ranked California, seventh ranked UCLA and 18th ranked Virginia with the men battling 11th ranked Georgia, 12th ranked Tennessee, 17th ranked Virginia and Harvard. Both Auburn and Miami of Ohio will have their men’s and women’s divers in the event as well.
“I hope we will be able to improve on our performances from the last time we competed at the Texas A&M Invitational,” said USC head coach Don Gibb. “We were good at that meet and now with a week’s rest, we should be fresh, and ready to go. Hopefully we can continue to move forward. Everybody should be able to step it up a little bit with the caliber of athletes will be swimming and diving against. With this level, you have to be at your best in the morning prelims to make the finals. These are the type of teams we will see down the line at the end of the season so we have to be sharp.”
In the first three months of action, both South Carolina swimming and diving teams have competed versus arguably one of the toughest schedules across the country. Following this weekend’s meet in Athens, the Carolina women’s team will have met 12 ranked opponents with the men’s team having faced five ranked opponents. Included among that are both number one teams in the nation, the top ranked men’s team from Auburn and the top ranked women’s team from Georgia.
RANKED OPPONENTS THAT USC HAS COMPETD AGAINST THROUGH THIS WEEK’S MEET
Women
1. Georgia
2. Auburn
4. Florida
5. California
7. UCLA
8. SMU
11. Wisconsin
13. Texas A&M
14. Michigan
17. Tennessee
18. Virginia
20. Washington
Men
1. Auburn
7. Florida
11. Georgia
12. Tennessee
17. Virginia
Heading into the meet, the USC women have set four NCAA automatic qualifying standards and six NCAA provisional qualifying marks.
NCAA “A” Standards
Allison Brennan – one-meter diving (348.75)
Allison Brennan – three-meter diving (385.50)
Tracey Richardson – one-meter diving (318.85)
Tracey Richardson – three-meter diving (324.60)
NCAA “B” Standards
Amanda Dunnigan – 400 individual medley (4:23.14)
Carly Hensel – 200 individual medley (2:03.32)
Lindsey Tiberio – 100 breaststroke (1:02.73)
Christy Williams – 100 butterfly (54.74)
Christy Williams – 200 butterfly (2:01.27)
This will be South Carolina’s final meet before being a month off from competition. The Gamecocks will return to action in a dual meet contest on Saturday, Jan. 7 against NC State at the Carolina Natatorium. The Carolina women’s team is 2-4 in dual meets with the men’s team owning a 1-4 record.
