HOUSTON COUGARS UPDATE

Senior captain Rachel Gitelson capped her collegiate career at home in fine fashion, scoring 293.45 points to win the platform diving championship during the final day of the 2007 Conference USA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium.

Gitelson was just part of a solid effort from the Cougar divers who swept the Top Three places in a diving event for the second straight night. Junior Ginni van Katwijk finished second with 264.05 points, while Pozdniakova finished third with 240.65 points.

After winning both the 1- and 3-meter springboard events and finishing third on the platform, sophomore Anastasia Pozdniakova was honored as the C-USA Diver of the Meet, the sixth straight season that a Cougar has earned that award.

SMU’s Petra Klosova was named the C-USA Swimmer of the Meet.

UH diving head coach Jane Figueiredo was named the C-USA Diving Coach of the Year for the sixth consecutive season, while SMU head coach Steve Collins was recognized as the C-USA Swimming Coach of the Year.

The Cougars scored 577 points to finish in fourth place. SMU won the women’s championship for the second straight season, scoring 853 points. Rice finished second with 653.50 points, while East Carolina placed third with 586 points. Marshall came in fifth with 381.50 points.

Senior captain Szintia Szanto, competing in her final collegiate meet at home, earned the silver medal in the 200-yard backstroke, posting a time of 2:16.39. Her time was the second fastest in UH history and gave her nine of the Top 10 times in that event.

Sophomore Andrea Pa’lmai placed second on the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:01.52, setting a new UH record in the process. Her time topped the previous record of 2:03.02 set by Beverley Rose in March 1985.

The Cougar swimmers and divers will now prepare for various post season competitions

The divers will return to action on March 2-4 in Austin, Texas, when they compete at the NCAA Zone D meet with berth to the 2007 NCAA Championships on the line.

Some of the swimmers will be heading to Texas A&M University for the USA Swimming SPEEDO Champions Series on February 22-25, 2007 while others are preparing the 2007 USA Swimming Spring Championships at East Meadow, New York on March 27-31.