Alabama
Auburn Invitational
Alabama Swimming and Diving Set to Close Regular Season at Auburn Invitational
2/7/2019 7:02:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
More than 30 Crimson Tide swimmers will take part in the three-day meet at the James Beard Aquatic Center on the Auburn University campus
AUBURN, Ala. – The Alabama swimming and diving teams close out the regular season this weekend at the Auburn Invitational in Auburn, Ala.
The meet runs Feb. 8-10, with prelims starting at 9:30 a.m. each day. Finals start at 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday.
The weekend marks the second year in a row that Alabama has closed out the regular season in Auburn. Prior to last year, the Crimson Tide finished things out with a dual meet, usually at home, before rolling into the postseason. This year and last, head coach Dennis Pursley and his staff are using the invitational to solidify the final spots on the men's and women's championship rosters.
In 2018, Braxton Young went into the Auburn Invitational looking for the opportunity to finish off his career in style. Fast swims in Auburn earned the senior his first trip to the Southeastern Championships, where he scored individually and then won an SEC title as part of UA's 200 freestyle relay. From there, Young made the Tide's NCAA championship squad, earning All-America honors as part of the 200 freestyle relay.
"While this meet is an opportunity for some to make the SEC Championships, we've told everyone who is going that the focus should be on getting the most out of all the hard work that they've put in all season long," Pursley said. "If they do that, and really focus on enjoying the moment and racing hard, the rest will take care of itself."
More than half of the Tide's 70 swimmers will be at this weekend's meet, while those who have already claimed a spot on the postseason roster will train through the weekend for SECs, which get underway February 19 in Athens, Ga.
Friday's events include the 200 freestyle and 400 medley relays as well as the 500 freestyle, 200 individual medley and 50 freestyle.
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