January 19, 2007
The Texas A&M men?â„¢s swimming and diving team will host No. 24 Louisiana State in a 12 noon dual meet on Saturday at the Student Recreation Natatorium on the A&M campus.
It will be the Aggies?â„¢ first action since their team victory at the UC-Irvine Relays on Jan. 7 during A&M?â„¢s ?winter training? session in California, and A&M?â„¢s first home action since the Art Adamson Invitational in mid-November. Texas A&M will host the 2007 Big 12 Championships at the Student Rec Natatorium Feb. 14-17.
?It?â„¢s always good to get back to your home pool,? Aggie head swimming coach Jay Holmes said. ?We?â„¢ve haven?â„¢t swam at home since November and we?â„¢re anxious to race in our home pool. Our whole focus has been getting ready physically for the Big 12 Championships. Now we?â„¢re just over three weeks away and we need to get some racing under our belt. The LSU dual will be a great opportunity to see how we respond in a competitive situation.?
Saturday?â„¢s dual marks the 15th straight season that the Aggies and Tigers have faced off in the pool. The Aggies have faced LSU once previously this season with the Tigers logging a narrow 1,039 to 1,004 victory at the three-day Adamson Invitational.
?A dual meet is a little different from an invitational, but there is no doubt that this is the best LSU team we?â„¢ve faced in many seasons,? Holmes said. ?They just had a victory over 10th-ranked Florida State, and they are swimming with a lot of confidence. They have some very talented frontline strength in several key events, so our depth will really be important on Saturday.?
In the most recent best times list by CollegeSwimming.com, the Aggies have three swimmers ranked in the nation?â„¢s top 100 in seven events. Leading the way is freshman Israel Duran Mata (Tijuana, Mexico), who is ranked in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly (No. 72 and No. 25, respectively) and the 100 and 200 backstrokes (No. 40 and No. 92). Junior Alejandro Jacobo is ranked No. 53 in the 100 breaststroke and No. 60 in the 200 breast, and junior Luke Chambless is ranked No. 98 in the 100 breaststroke.
The Aggies are paced in the diving well by junior Eric Sehn, who is undefeated against collegiate competition in 2006-07. Last weekend Sehn competed in the Canadian World Championships Trials and Winter Nationals in Quebec. Sehn placed second in the one-meter springboard, sixth in the 10-meter platform and seventh in the three-meter springboard.
Admission to the LSU meet is free of charge. The 12th Man Team Rewards Program will be in attendance to scan its members.
For those not able to attend Saturday?â„¢s meet, live video streaming will be available for free at www.AggieAthletics.com. Live stats are also scheduled to be available online.