Jan. 16, 2009
COLUMBIA, S.C. – For the first time since Vanderbilt brought back swimming and diving for the 2006-07 season, the Commodores will visit the Carolina Natatorium on Saturday afternoon for a 2 p.m. dual meet with South Carolina. It will be a scored meet for the women only as Vanderbilt does not sponsor men’s swimming and diving. However, the Gamecock men will swim in several exhibition events in the USA Swimming-sanctioned meet.
“We’re excited about Saturday’s meet, finally having an SEC meet at home,” head swimming coach McGee Moody said. “Vanderbilt is a team that is getting better and better. We’re looking to improve on a very average performance from last weekend and continue to get better in several areas where we need improvement.”
The Gamecock women enter Saturday’s meet 3-3 overall, 0-1 in league competition with their lone SEC meet thus far being a loss at No. 6 Florida. South Carolina is coming off a sweep of Duke and Davidson last weekend in a double-dual meet in Durham, N.C.
Vanderbilt is 2-7 overall, 0-3 in Southeastern Conference competition. The Commodores have wins over Rhodes College and Centre College this season and have dropped SEC dual meets to Alabama, Tennessee and Arkansas. This is only the third year of swimming for Vanderbilt since the program was revived prior to the 2006-07 season; the Commodores discontinued men’s swimming after the 1988 season and dropped the women’s program in 1992.
The only previous meeting came in that 1992 season, South Carolina’s first year in the SEC, when the Gamecock women earned a 156-130 victory. The Gamecock and Commodore men met once, in 1966, when Carolina pulled out a 77-17 win.
Live results will be available through GamecocksOnline.com via Sports Timing. A full recap and complete results will follow the meet. Admission is free.
