Alabama Swimming and Diving Celebrates Senior Day on Saturday
1/19/2007 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
TUSCALOOSA , Ala. ?? The Alabama Swimming and Diving teams wrap up their regular season Saturday in a Southeastern Conference tri-meet against Florida and South Carolina in the Alabama Aquatic Center starting at 2 p.m.
In addition to being Alabama ’s last home event of the 2007 season, it will be Senior Day as the Crimson Tide pays tribute to the 12 athletes who will be competing for the last time in the Don Gambril Olympic Pool.
The Tide will honor its five senior men - Apostolis Tsagkarakis, Tim Hansen, Luke Dickson, Hunor Ma'te' and Vlad Polyakov and seven senior women Melina Bassino, Victoria Genova, Tara Theilemann, Bridgett Belyea, Amanda Gilbert, Selma Beji and Karissa Tuthill during a pre-meet ceremony and then it’s back to work.
“It’s going to be a big day for our seniors who have meant so much to this program and to us as coaches,” head coach Eric McIlquham said. “But it’s also a big meet for us. This is our last chance to get up and compete before the championship season gets here. We have some things we still need to get done and this weekend is going to be a big part of that.”
There are four All-Americans and three school record holders among the Tide’s senior class as well as two Olympians and an NCAA Champion. During their tenure at the Capstone, Alabama has posted five NCAA top-25 finishes. Academically, they have led the Tide to ever greater heights.
In the pool Saturday, the Tide, young and old, will need to come together to be successful. Florida ’s men are ranked 11th while Alabama comes in at No. 18 and the Gamecocks are receiving votes in this week’s national coaches’ poll. On the women’s side of the meet, the Gators are ninth this week while Alabama and South Carolina figure just outside the top-25.
