Nov. 5, 2009
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina’s swimming & diving team will make its final road trip of the fall season on Friday as the Gamecocks travel to Knoxville to take on SEC rival Tennessee. Diving gets underway at 1 p.m. with swimming set to begin at 2 p.m. at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center on the UT campus.
The Gamecock men are 1-3 on the year, 1-0 against SEC competition; Carolina’s women are 0-4 overall, 0-1 in the league. The Volunteers are 3-0 overall, 2-0 in SEC competition; the Lady Vols come into the meet 2-1 overall and 2-0 in the SEC. It will be the first time for South Carolina to compete at the two-year-old Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center.
South Carolina’s last meeting with Tennessee came on Oct. 26, 2007, in a tri-meet with the Vols and Kentucky in Knoxville at the old Student Aquatic Center. The Gamecocks fell in both meets with the Tennessee men taking a 202-96 victory and the Lady Vols grabbing a 187-113 decision.
This will be the 23rd meeting in the men’s series between South Carolina and Tennessee with the Vols holding a 20-2 advantage. On the women’s side, it will be the 25th meeting with the all-time series tied at 12-12. Carolina’s last men’s victory came in 1989 when the Gamecocks scored a 58-55 win; however, the Gamecocks are 0-11 all-time in Knoxville. For the women, the last win over the Lady Vols came in 1995 as Carolina took a 163.5-136.5 win in Knoxville.
For the Gamecock men, underclassmen continue to lead the way thus far in 2009-10. The breaststroke events have been the biggest strength for South Carolina with freshman Bobby Cave holding the eighth-best time in the country in the 200 breast (2:02.45) and the 19th-best in the 100 breast (56.81). Sophomore Armin Hornikel has the SEC’s fifth-best time and the nation’s 21st-fastest in the 100 breast (56.87).
On the women’s side, South Carolina looks for more strong performances out of its divers. Courtney Forcucci has won five of six events this year with teammate Taryn Zack winning the other; both juniors will be in action Friday. The distance freestyle events have also been a strength for the Gamecocks with twin juniors Claire and Christine Thompson towards the top of the SEC in the 200, 500 and 1000 freestyle.
There will be no live results for the swimming portion of Friday’s meet, but the diving events can be followed through divemeets.com. A full recap will follow on GamecocksOnline.com.
