Alabama Swimming & Diving Nationally Ranked Heading Into Home Dual Meet Saturday
10/16/2018 4:17:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
The Crimson Tide faces off with Texas A&M at the Alabama Aquatic Center Saturday in the SEC opener for both squads
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – When Alabama swimming and diving hosts the Texas A&M Aggies this Saturday at the Alabama Aquatic Center the meet will feature some of the nation's top-ranked swimmers on both the men and women's sides of the meet.
Alabama's men are 17th and the Crimson Tide women are receiving votes in the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA)Â Â TYR top-25 dual meet poll, while the Aggie women are fifth and the men are 10th.
It will be the Southeastern Conference opener for both squads and, coincidentally, both teams are coming off road meets at Ohio State from their last competitions. Alabama's men and women are both 1-1 on the year while the Aggie women are 1-0 while the men are 1-1 coming into Saturday.
Overall, Alabama has 16 individual swims ranked in the top-25 in the NCAA this season between the men and the women while Texas A&M tally 25.
There is a potential high-end showdown in the men's 100 freestyle where Crimson Tide junior Zane Waddell and the Aggies' Adam Koster are tied for ninth nationally with matching season-best times of 44.02. Waddell is also ranked in the top-10 in the 100 backstroke, where his 47.73 at Ohio State ranks fourth nationally. The versatile Waddell is also 11th in the 100 butterfly (48.17) and 25th in the 50 freestyle (20.45).
Seniors Robert Howard (200 freestyle) and Laurent Bams (100 breaststroke) are also ranked in the top-10 in the nation
On the women's side of the slate, freshman Kensey McMahon is ranked 10th in the 1,000 freestyle. Fellow freshman Rhyan White is ranked in the top-20 nationally in the 100 and 200 backstrokes. Both women are coming off assignments for the United States National Team. McMahon posted a top-10 finish at the FINA World Junior Open Water Championships in September, while White earned a trio of top-four finishes at the recent Youth Olympic Games, including a bronze-medal performance in the 100-meter backstroke.
In addition to McMahon and White, senior Justine Macfarlane (100 and 200 breaststrokes) is also ranked in the top-20 nationally coming into the weekend.
With construction underway on the Crimson Tide's $21 million renewal of the Alabama Aquatic Center, all fans must enter through the front doors which are located on the Bryant Drive side of the facility.
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