SMU Leads After Day 2 of C-USA Swimming and Diving Championships

HOUSTON, TEXAS (February 28, 2008) The 2008 Conference USA Women's Swimming & Diving Championship and Invitational continued on Thursday evening at the CRWC Natatorium on the campus of the University of Houston with another dominating performance by defending champion SMU. The Mustangs set new meet and pool records in two events, while winning all five events that took place during day two.

The 400-yard medley relay squad of Anja Carman, Devon Callagan, Elzanne Werth and Petra Klosova closed out the evening by taking the event gold in 3:38.86. The time was good for NCAA `B' consideration. Rice (3:47.52) and Houston (3:51.74) took second and third, respectively.

The Mustangs made history in the 3-meter diving event, becoming the first team other than Houston to win gold in a diving event. SMU Sophomore Britney Yancey claimed first place with a mark of 329.50, an NCAA `A' qualifying score. Three-time C-USA Diver of the Week Courtney Forcucci (314.80) of Houston took second also with an NCAA `A' qualifying mark. Mustang freshman Audra Egenolf claimed the bronze with an NCAA `A' mark of 306.05.

In the 50-yard freestyle, SMU had a one-two finish with junior Candace Blackman taking gold in 22.79 and senior Angela San Juan Cisneros just behind in 22.92. Both times were NCAA `B' qualifying times. Rice junior Carly Miller was third with a time of 22.96.

The Mustangs were dominant in the 200-yard individual medley, taking the top six places. Klosova, the 2007 C-USA Swimmer of the Year, set a new meet and pool record, taking the gold in 1:59.48. The time was also an NCAA `A' qualifying mark. Junior Jennifer Basel, was just off her record pace from last season and finished second in 2:00.99, while freshman Maroua Mathlouthi won bronze in 2:01.89. Both times were good for NCAA `B' qualification.

Callaghan (2:03.08), Carman (2:03.37) and sophomore Justine Clark (2:03.66) took places three through six for SMU, respectively. All three of their times were good for NCAA `B' consideration.

SMU took two of the top three places in the 500-yard freestyle final to begin the night, with Jennifer Blackman claiming her second consecutive 500 free title in an NCAA `A' qualifying time of 4:45.27. Rice's Brittany Massengale touched second (4:48.38) for an NCAA `B' qualifying time, while SMU's Katie Roberts grabbed third in 4:52.47, also an NCAA `B' qualifying time.

SMU took control of the C-USA Championship team scoring after the dominant day and now leads with 323 points, followed by Rice with 213 and East Carolina with 178. Houston sits in fourth with 125 points, while Marshall is fifth with 116 points.

First-year women's invitational members Northern Colorado (106) and Cal State Bakersfield (90) sit in sixth and seventh in the invitational team scoring.

Men's teams from league schools East Carolina and SMU along with Hawaii and Cal State Bakersfield are also competing in the C-USA men's invitational. SMU leads that event after day two with 337.50 points, followed by Hawai'i with 270, East Carolina with 218.50 and Cal State Bakersfield with 135.

The meet resumes at 10 a.m., Friday with the preliminaries of the 400-yard IM, 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard freestyle, 100-yard breaststroke and 100-yard backstroke. The women's 1-meter and men's 3-meter diving preliminaries will begin around 1 p.m. The finals for those events are slated to begin around 6 p.m.

All-session tickets are available for only $25 for adults and $10 for youth. Single-day tickets are available for $10 for adults and $5 for students with ID. Youth includes children from 3 years old to high school. Children who are 2 years old and younger are admitted free.

All students from Conference USA schools are admitted free with a valid student ID.

Fans should note that cash only will be accepted at the Tickets table.

Gates will open, and tickets will be sold beginning one hour prior to the meet. In addition, a wide variety of Championship merchandise will be available near the Tickets table.

Click here for complete meet results, team scores, and live stats.

Rice Leads Field After Day 1 of C-USA Championships

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (February 27, 2008) - The 2008 Conference USA Women's Swimming and Diving Championship and Invitational got off the an exciting start on Wednesday evening at the CRWC Natatorium on the campus of the University of Houston with a record performance by the SMU 800-yard freestyle relay team.

The squad of Jennifer Blackman, Petra Klosova, Candace Blackman and Sascha Van den Branden finished with the time of 7:04.87, shattering the pool and meet record they set last year of 7:10.49. The mark was good for an NCAA `A' qualifying time.

Rice came in second (7:21.75) with an NCAA `B' time, while East Carolina finished in third (7:34.43). The host Cougars finished in fourth (7:37.63) and Marshall took fifth (7:42.73).

In the first event of the meet, the 200-yard medley relay, the Rice team of Angela Wo, Pam Zelnick, Skylar Craig and Diane Gu finished in 1:43.29 to take the win and grab 40 early points. Defending champion SMU finished in a record time of 1:39.32, making the NCAA “A”cut. but was disqualified fot an early takeoff. League members East Carolina (1:45.01) and Marshall (1:47.64) officially came in second and third, respectively.

Rice leads the C-USA Championship team scoring after day one with 74 points, followed by East Carolina with 66 and Marshall with 60. SMU sits in fourth with 40 points on the strength of their record-setting relay, while Houston is fifth with 30 points.

On the men's side, teams from league schools East Carolina and SMU along with Hawaii and Cal State Bakersfield are also competing in the C-USA men's invitational. SMU leads that event after day one with 108 points, followed by East Carolina and Hawai'i with 104 and Cal State Bakersfield with 44.

The meet resumes at 10 a.m., Thursday with the preliminaries of the 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley and the 50-yard freestyle. The women's 3-meter diving preliminaries will begin around 1 p.m. The finals for those events are slated to begin around 6 p.m.

All-session tickets are available for only $25 for adults and $10 for youth. Single-day tickets are available for $10 for adults and $5 for students with ID. Youth includes children from 3 years old to high school. Children who are 2 years old and younger are admitted free.

Click here for complete meet results, team scores, and live stats. Championship information came be accessed by clicking here.

Houston Swimming and Diving Plays Host to 2008 C-USA Women¹s Championship

HOUSTON, TEXAS (February 26, 2008) ­For the fifth straight season, some of the nation's top collegiate swimmers and divers will visit Houston during the 2008 Conference USA Women¹s Swimming and Diving Championship and Invitational.

The meet begins at 3 p.m., Feb. 27 at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium with the preliminaries of the men's 1-meter diving. Finals begin at 6 p.m. and will include the men's 1-meter diving as well as the men¹s and women's 200-yard medley relay and 800-yard freestyle relay.

The final three days of the four-day meet features swimming preliminaries beginning at 10 a.m., each day. Diving preliminaries are slated to start at 1 p.m., with the finals for all events beginning at 6 p.m., each day.

In addition to the Cougars, the women¹s side of the meet features C-USA rivals East Carolina, Marshall, Rice and SMU as well as Cal State Bakersfield, Northern Colorado. The men¹s side of the Invitational features East Carolina, SMU, Hawai¹i and Cal State Bakersfield.

This marks the fifth straight season that Houston has hosted the league's postseason extravaganza. The Cougars are the only school to host the Championship at an on-campus site.

All-session tickets are available for only $25 for adults and $10 for youth. Single-day tickets are available for $10 for adults and $5 for students with ID. Youth includes children from 3 years old to high school. Children who are 2 years old and younger are admitted free.

All students from Conference USA schools are admitted free with a valid student ID. Fans should note that cash only will be accepted at the Tickets table.

There will be no charge for all fans for Wednesday night's opening session. Fans attending sessions beginning Thursday morning will be charged accordingly.

Gates will open, and tickets will be sold beginning one hour prior to the meet. In addition, a wide variety of Championship merchandise will be available near the Tickets table.

The Cougars, competing under sixth-year head coach Mark Taylor, finished fourth a year ago and look to improve their standing during the 2008 meet. UH finished the regular season with a 9-8 record in dual meets, marking the program's third straight winning season.

It was the first time since 1983-86 that UH accomplished that feat. This season, the UH swimmers are led by juniors Sasha Schwendenwein and Andrea Pa'lmai.

Schwendenwein has posted the Cougars¹ season-best times in the 50-, 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle events as well as the 200-yard butterfly. The Randburg, South Africa, native already has provisionally qualified for the 2008 NCAA Championships with her time of 1:49.88 in the 200-yard freestyle during the Miami (Ohio) Invitational on Nov. 30, 2007.

Pa'lmai also has emerged as one of the Cougars¹ most consistent performers. The Budapest, Hungary, native leads all Cougar swimmers in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke as well as the 200-yard backstroke.

As impressive as the Cougar swimmers have been this season and at past C-USA Championships, the UH divers have established themselves as some of the nation's best.

Under the leadership of 18-year head coach Jane Figueiredo, senior captain Ginni van Katwijk and freshmen Courtney Forcucci and Lacey Truelove are expected to do well at the 2008 meet.

The Cougars have dominated diving at the C-USA Championship, winning six straight championships on the 1- and 3-meter springboards and the platform.

Cougar divers also have been honored as the C-USA Diver of the Year and Diver of the meet during each of the last six seasons, while Figueiredo has been honored for six straight years as the Diving Coach of the Year.

SMU comes into the meet as the two-time defending champions, while Rice and East Carolina each finished second in the standings during the last two years.

On the men¹s side, SMU returns as the two-time defending champions with East Carolina and Hawai¹i finished second in each of the last two years.

Ticket Prices Announced for 2008 C-USA Women’s Swimming Championship

HOUSTON, TEXAS (February 11, 2008) With a little more than two weeks before the start, ticket prices for the 2008 Conference USA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship and Invitational were announced Monday afternoon.

All-session tickets are available for only $25 for adults and $10 for youth. Single-day tickets are available for $10 for adults and $5 for students with ID. Youth includes children from 3 years old to high school. Children who are 2 years old and younger are admitted free.

All students from Conference USA schools are admitted free with a valid student ID.

Fans should note that cash only will be accepted at the Tickets table.

There will be no charge for all fans for Wednesday night’s opening session. Fans attending sessions beginning Thursday morning will be charged accordingly.

Gate will open, and tickets will be sold beginning one hour prior to the meet. In addition, a wide variety of Championship merchandise will be available near the Tickets table.

The meet begins at 3 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 27 with the preliminaries of the men’s 1-meter diving. Finals begin at 6 p.m. and will include the men’s 1-meter diving as well as the men’s and women’s 200-yard medley relay and 800-yard freestyle relay.

The final three days of the four-day meet features swimming preliminaries beginning at 10 a.m., each day. Diving preliminaries are slated to start at 1 p.m., with the finals for all events beginning at 6 p.m., each day.