Gamecocks Face LSU in First SEC Dual Meet
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina Swimming & Diving will begin conference competition on Sat., Oct. 8 at the Carolina Natatorium at 10 a.m. The Gamecocks will host the LSU Tigers in their annual breast cancer awareness meet. Members of the team will be wearing pink shirts and ribbons in honor of breast cancer awareness.
During South Carolina’s last outing, the Gamecock women took down Army’s women while the men’s team suffered a narrow loss. Despite the split results, three individuals on the team earned weekly conference honors for their performances.
Graduate diver Brooke Schultz was named the women’s Diver of the Week after taking down her own school record in the 3-meter dive. Schultz swept the springboards with scores that were enough to qualify her for the NCAA Zone Championships.
Senior Manny Vazquez Bas was named the men’s Co-Diver of the Week for his sweep of the springboards. The San Juan, Puerto Rico, native also earned two Zone qualifying scores and set a new personal best in the 3-meter dive.
On the swimming side, Jose Castro was named the Freshman of the Week after the first meet of his collegiate career. Castro won the 500 free and placed fourth in the 1000 free.
Another notable freshman was Amy Riordan. Riordan won the 200 free by over three seconds and placed third in the 100 free during her collegiate debut.
The Gamecocks will be welcoming the LSU Tigers to the Carolina Natatorium for the first time since 2014. At the 2014 meeting, the results split with the Gamecock men winning 166-134 and the women dropping their dual 131.5-168.5.
South Carolina’s men’s team holds an all-time record of 5-3 over LSU in dual competition while LSU leads on the women’s side with an all-time record of 6-2.
This meet will be the Tiger men’s first appearance of the 2022-23 competition season. The Tiger women have earned two wins already this season with strong showings over Tulane and Vanderbilt.
LSU’s women’s team is highlighted by graduate transfer Maggie MacNeil who broke two school records in her Purple and Gold debut. MacNeil earned an Olympic gold medal for Team Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The Tiger’s men’s team is highlighted by fellow Olympic gold medalist Brooks Curry who won his medal for Team USA. Along with his Olympic medal, Curry is a multi-time NCAA Champion and All-American.
The battle between the Gamecocks and Tigers will start at 10 a.m. with pre-meet events beginning at 9:50 a.m. Admission to the meet is free and spectators are encouraged to enter the Natatorium through the doors on the back left of the Blatt PE Center and proceed up the stairs to the natatorium spectator seating.
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