Swimming and Diving Opens 2009-10 Home Slate Saturday
10/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Oct. 9, 2009
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama Swimming and Diving teams open up the 2009-10 home season Saturday at 1p.m. in the Alabama Aquatic Center. The Crimson Tide men open their home slate against Centenary while the UA women host Centenary and Southeastern Conference foe Vanderbilt in a double dual-meet.
"We got off to a good start last weekend at Georgia Tech, coming back with some wins and getting our starting point for the season," Alabama head coach Eric McIlquham said. "We came back this week and put in some very hard work in practice and we want to get back up on the blocks and on the boards and finish off the week well."
In its opener against Georgia Tech and Florida Atlantic, the Crimson Tide men took first and second place in 11 of 16 events and won 14 overall. Alabama's women picked up wins against Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, Florida Atlantic and Florida Gulf Coast and won 10 of 16 events.
"I thought last week the team came together pretty well and had some pretty good swims," McIlquham said. "I thought our divers did a particularly good job in their first weekend. All but one diver got their NCAA Zone qualifications, which is pretty impressive in the first meet of the year."
The Crimson Tide last saw Centenary in the fall of 2007 in a double-dual meet with Delta State in Athens, Miss. with Alabama winning both sides of the meet. The Tide last met the Lady Commodores during the regular season last year, with Alabama coming out on top in its season and home opener in late September.
"We want do a really good job against Centenary and Vanderbilt," McIlquham said. "Both teams have several accomplished athletes on their rosters, with our depth probably giving us an edge, but we're going to have be ready to go."
Senior Riley Boulden led the Tide men last weekend, winning three races while senior All-American Agustina de Giovanni won a pair of events to pace the Tide women. The Tide's veterans weren't the only ones picking up gold in the opener. Freshmen Jake Reynolds, Anestis Arampatzis and Jenna Gallo all started their rookie seasons off by posting wins in their first meet wearing the crimson and white of Alabama.
Saturday's meet will be held in the Don Gambril Olympic Pool at the Alabama Aquatic Center and admission is free.
Players Mentioned
