October 12, 2006
The Texas A&M men?â„¢s swimming and diving team will open its 2006-07 season at the annual Big 12 Relays at 8:30 a.m. on Friday at the Bob Devaney Center Natatorium on the University of Nebraska campus. The following day, the Aggies will face Missouri in a 9 a.m. dual meet at Nebraska?â„¢s pool.
The Aggie men will kick off the season looking for their 12th consecutive Top 25 national finish. The Aggies are one of just 12 teams nationally that have finished in the Top 25 at the NCAA Championships every year since 1996.
Third-year head swimming coach Jay Holmes said the Big 12 Relays will be a good opportunity to gauge his team?â„¢s progress.
?The biggest thing we?â„¢ll get from the Big 12 Relays is seeing where we?â„¢re at as a team,? Holmes said. ?We?â„¢ll use a lot of young guys this weekend and I?â„¢m anxious to see how they complement our returnees. We?â„¢re anxious to get in the pool and race somebody. It will be a learning experience for everyone. We?â„¢re looking to build some chemistry that will take us through the season.?
The all-relay format is tailor-made for the Aggies, who have one of the most impressive relay traditions in college swimming. At least one Aggie relay has scored at the NCAA Championships every year since 1996.
?The format is a lot of fun for our guys,? Holmes said. ?We enjoy swimming relays at Texas A&M and they play a big part in our sport. We?â„¢ve been working hard on our relay starts and it will be interesting to see our progress.?
The Big 12 Relays will also mark the season debut of six-time Big 12 Champion diver Eric Sehn, who has swept all three conference diving crowns the past two seasons. Sehn spent his summer representing Canada at the FINA World Cup in China.
The Aggie swimmers will have to replace a strong group of relay workhorses in 2005-06 seniors Andrew Sullivant, Matt Neal, Ryan Kemp, Joe Watson, Alex Dawson and Scott Newmann. Looking to fill those holes are several Aggies who swam legs on Big 12 Champion relays last season: junior Ozzie Gardner, Francisco Picasso and Ryan Loney. The Aggies will also be bolstered by the return of 2005 1,650 freestyle Big 12 Champion James Hard, who redshirted last season.