Alabama Swimming and Diving Launches Collegiate Season against Delta State Friday

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Continuing an annual tradition that stretches back more than a half dozen years, Alabama swimming and diving opens the 2019-20 season this Friday against Delta State in Cleveland, Miss. The meet gets underway at 1 p.m. CT in the Mayers Aquatic Center on the DSU campus.

It's not only the first meet of the season for The Crimson Tide and the Statesmen, it's the first collegiate swimming and diving competition of the year. This year's meet marks the seventh year in a row that the two teams have made the first splash of the NCAA season.

Friday will also be Coley Stickels first dual meet as the Crimson Tide's head coach after taking over the UA program in April.

Coley Stickels Says

"We're excited to get a jump on the season and get going. Having a meet this early in the season gives everyone something to look forward to through the first weeks of heavy training. For the student-athletes, there's nothing quite like that first meet of the season, especially for the rookies, who have been looking forward to stepping up for the Crimson Tide for a long time now. It will also give the coaching staff a chance to see how everyone reacts in a competitive environment."

The Crimson Tide

The Crimson Tide are slated to travel 25 women and 24 men to Delta State for the season opener
As many as eight women and six men could make their Crimson Tide debuts at Delta State, including 11 freshmen and three transfer sophomores
This year's women are led by All-American and USA National Team distance ace Kensey McMahon, back for her sophomore season
McMahon finished second in the 1,500-meter freestyle at this summer's USA National Championships
She was also the only freshman to finish in the top-14 in the 1,650 freestyle at the 2019 NCAA Championships
The men are led by NCAA and FINA World Champion Zane Waddell
Waddell won the 50-meter backstroke at the 2019 FINA World Championships and the World University Games
The senior, who led off Alabama's NCAA champion 200 medley relay last spring, also set the World University Games record in the 50-meter freestyle

The Fall Schedule

Friday marks the first of six meets for the Crimson Tide this semester
All meets will be on the road this fall while work is completed on the Alabama Aquatic Center renovations
The Tide moved into the recently completed team suite and began training in the newly built outdoor pool this summer
The renovations to the indoor 50-meter by 25-yard pool complex will be completed in November
In addition to Delta State, the men and women will also take on Georgia (Oct. 4) in a neutral site meeting in Birmingham, Ala., at the Birmingham CrossPlex Natatorium, as well as Auburn (Dec. 5) in Auburn, Ala.
Both squads will also take part in the Georgia Tech Invitational (Nov. 22-24) in Atlanta, Ga., while the women will travel to Nashville, Tenn., to take on Vanderbilt (Oct. 5)
The UA divers will also compete at the Auburn Diving Invite (Dec. 16-19)

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