Florida Opens 2009-10 Season at Virginia Friday
Thursday, October 8, 2009 | Men's Swimming & Diving
The Gator men's and women's swimming and diving programs officially open up 2009-10 competition Friday when the two squads visit Charlottesville, Va., for a dual with the Virginia Cavaliers from the ACC. For the eighth time in UF history, Florida will show down with the Cavs, the last being Jan. 7, 2009, a meet both UF squads won at home in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Meet time is slated for 1 p.m. Friday from the Aquatic and Fitness Center on the Virginia campus.
“We're going in to swim the ACC Champions in Virginia on both the men's and women's side,” head coach Gregg Troy said. “It will be a very good meet and a very good Virginia team, but it's the first meet for both teams this season. I think both teams will go into it ready to evaluate what we have to work with this season. Our men's team is a pretty good group – a very different team than last year. On the women's side, we return one of the best teams in the country. We have no obvious weaknesses; our newcomers have stepped up early to fill those spots.”
In the last outing against the Cavaliers, seven Gators solidified NCAA provisional qualifying marks as the women cruised to a 166-132 win, and the men stamped a 169-129 victory over UVA. Both teams continued on to the 2009 NCAA Championship meet where Virginia's men took 9th, the women 12th. The Florida men finished fifth, and the women took seventh at NCAAs
Florida enjoyed outstanding post-season success, claiming the 2009 SEC Championship crown, two national championships and an NCAA record on the women's side, while the men rallied for three individual national titles, two NCAA records and a top-five finish at the NCAA Championships.
The Cavaliers return 17 All-Americans this season, including nine women and eight men. On the women's side, the Cavaliers return the 2009 ACC Swimmer of the Year, senior Mei Christensen, and ACC champions Matt McLean and Scot Robison on the men's squad.
Last year, the dual with Virginia brought a sister vs. sister showdown when current sophomore All-American Teresa Crippen (Conshohocken, Pa.) took to the water against her sister, Virginia's All-ACC swimmer Claire Crippen, for the first time in their collegiate careers. The duo swam against one another in only one event at the meet, the 200-yard fly, where Teresa took second (1:58.69) and Claire took fourth (2:02.35).
Florida last visited Charlottesville Oct. 11, 2007, when both Gator teams came out on top, the men, 162-133, and women, 169-126.
For complete results and a recap of Florida's 2009-10 season opener, visit www.GatorZone.com Friday.
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