Florida Returns Home to Swim Against Georgia Tech
Thursday, January 6, 2011 | Women's Swimming & Diving
WHO: Florida vs. Georgia Tech
WHAT: Swimming and Diving Dual Meet
WHEN: Friday, January 7, 2011 ? Diving at 2:30 p.m.; Swimming at 5 p.m.
WHERE: Stephen C. O'Connell Center Natatorium, located between Gates 2 & 3
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Following a grueling fall schedule, the No. 5 University of Florida men's swimming and diving team and No. 6 women's squad return home Friday afternoon for the first dual meet at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center Natatorium since October, as the Orange and Blue battle Georgia Tech of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The diving competition will begin at 2:30 p.m., while swimming commences at 5 p.m. Doors of the O'Connell Center open at 1:30 p.m.
While this marks the first time in history the women from both schools have swam against each other, the Gator men defeated the Yellow Jackets by a 161-123 margin in Atlanta, Ga., on Oct. 23, 2009. The Orange and Blue won 11 of the first 12 events, including victories by current UF swimmers Conor Dwyer (Winnetka, Ill.), Brett Fraser (George Town, Cayman Islands), Balazs Gercsak (Budapest, Hungary) and Robby Kennedy (Ft. Myers, Fla). The Gator men own the all-time series with Georgia Tech, 25-10.
The meet comes just two days after the UF diving squad placed in the men's and women's finals in all three diving events at the 2011 Tennessee Diving Invitational at the Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville, Tenn. Senior Monica Dodson (Franklin, Ind.) led the way for the Gators against the field of 101 student-athletes, being the only woman during the meet to place in the top three in two of the three events.
The last time the Florida swimming team competed was Dec. 3-5 at the 2010 Big Al Open at DeNunzio Pool in Princeton, N.J, where with less than half of its roster traveling, the Gators each finished second. Following the last day of competition, both the UF men and women fell just short to host Princeton in the final overall team standings. Freshman Ellese Zalewski (Melbourne, Australia) was the star of the meet, recording her first four career NCAA cuts.
Georgia Tech enters the meet having not competed since the weekend of Nov. 19-21, 2010, when the Yellow Jackets hosted its annual Georgia Tech Fall Invitational. The Georgia Tech men finished fifth with 548 points, while the women placed sixth with 280 points. At the same event, the Gator men took second with 1,121 points, while the UF women finished third with 939 points.
The Gator men currently hold the fastest SEC times in the 200-yard freestyle (1:34.70), 1,000 free (9:00.48), 200-yard individual medley (1:45.52), 400 IM (3:45.21) and 800-yard freestyle relay (6:31.74). Along with UF's top time in the 400 free relay (2:57.58), all five times are in the top 10 nationally, while Dwyer's times in the 1,000 free and 400 IM rank as the fastest in the NCAA this season. The men are led by Dwyer, who on Nov. 23 became the first swimmer in UF history to be named SEC Male Swimmer of the Week three times in the same season. Three weeks earlier on Nov. 3, the reigning 2010 NCAA and SEC Male Swimmer of the Year was named CollegeSwimming.com's Counsilman-Hunsaker National Collegiate Male Swimmer of the Week for the second time in his career.
The Gator women presently own the fastest SEC times in the 200-yard backstroke (1:54.27) and 400 IM (4:06.84), as well as having the highest scores in the one meter and platform diving competitions. Along with the Gators' top times in the 50 free (22.41), 1,650 free (16:10.41) and 800 free relay (7:11.99) both the 200 back and 400 IM are in the top 10 nationally. The women are anchored by freshman swimmer Elizabeth Beisel (North Kingstown, R.I.), who on Nov. 23 became the first female freshman in SEC history to be named SEC Female Swimmer of the Week three times in the same season. Two weeks earlier on Nov. 10, the 2010-11 U.S. National Team member was named CollegeSwimming.com's Counsilman-Hunsaker National Collegiate Female Swimmer of the Week for the first time in her career.
Dodson has anchored the diving squads, being awarded SEC Female Diver of the Week for the first time in her career after setting the school record in the women's three-meter diving competition against Virginia with a score of 362.11. The lone senior on the women's swimming and diving team has already seven events this season (two on the one-meter boards, three on the three-meter boards and two platform competitions).
A preview of the meet is available by viewing the meet notes. Gator fans are also encouraged to follow the swimming and diving program via Twitter or Facebook.
