HOUSTON, TEXAS (August 2, 2010) The University of Houston swimming and diving team will send three competitors to the 30th European Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Aug. 4-15.
Representing the diving team is Julia Lonnegren and 2010 senior Anastasia Pozdniakova. Lonnegren, competing for Sweden, will dive in the 10-meter platform competition on Aug. 12.
Pozdniakova, competing for Russia, will participate in the 1- and 3-meter events as well as the 3-meter synchronized competition with Svetlana Filpova. The 1-meter event is scheduled to take place Aug. 10, continuing with the 3-meter on Aug. 14 and concluding with the synchronized event on Aug. 15.
Competing for Hungary, Reka Kovacs will be representing the swimming team at the Championships. She is slated to swim in the 200- and 400-yard IM events and the 200-yard breaststroke. She finished second in both the IM events at the Hungarian Nationals to qualify for the Championships and her time in the breaststroke qualified her in that event.
The 400-yard IM event will take place on Aug. 9 and both the 200-yard IM and the 200-yard breaststroke are scheduled for Aug. 12.
Showing posts with label UH Swimming and Diving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UH Swimming and Diving. Show all posts
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Five Swimmers and Divers Earn Academic All-America Honors
HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 31, 2010) The College Swimming Coaches Association of America recently recognized five University of Houston swimmers and divers, as Academic All-America Honorable Mentions.
Reka Kovacs, Beccy Hillis and Andrea Kells represented the swimming team on the list, while divers Jessalyn Almond and Julia Lonnegren also earned spots on the Honorable Mention list.
The three swimmers and two divers were named to the list after earning at least a 3.5 GPA last season while also recording an NCAA "B" time or qualifying for the NCAA Zone Diving Championships.
"Coach Jane Figuieredo, assistant coach Jaime Lewis and I know our main task is to help these young ladies receive an education as well and perfect their sport," head swimming coach Mark Taylor said.
"These young ladies have excelled at the highest levels of both, and we couldn't be prouder. We endeavor to have more reach this standard of excellence."
Kovacs claimed Conference USA Freshman Swimmer of the Year honors following a great season and an excellent showing at the C-USA Championships. She earned first place with a time of 4:16.24 in the 400-yard IM, breaking the C-USA Meet and Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium record and qualified as an NCAA `B' time. The Budapest, Hungary, native recorded another NCAA `B' mark by touching the wall in 2:16.19 in the 200-yard breaststroke earning fourth place at the meet.
Kovacs is preparing to swim in the 30th European Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Aug. 4-15. There she will swim in the 200- and 400-yard IM events and the 200-yard breaststroke.
Hillis started her sophomore season off on a strong note, earning C-USA Swimmer of the Week honors in just the second week of the season. She finished the season leading the team in both breaststroke events and moved into the Houston record books at the C-USA Championships. The Scotland native finished with the fourth-fastest time in school history in the 100-yard breaststroke and the second fastest in the 200-yard breaststroke. Her 200-yard time was also an NCAA "B" qualifying time.
Kells finished the season as the team leader in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly events as a junior. She moved into eighth and ninth place in the Top 10 performances with two strong swims in the 100-yard butterfly.
Almond earned two NCAA "A" marks in the 1- and 3-meter diving events to qualify for her second consecutive NCAA Zone Championship. She went on to set personal bests in both events and finished fifth and ninth in the 3- and 1-meter events at the C-USA Championships.
Lonnegren became the eighth Cougar in nine years to take home C-USA Freshman Diver of the Year honors. The Sweden native earned third place in the 1-meter and platform events at the C-USA Championships. She joined the team in the second semester but made up for missed time by being named C-USA Diver of the Week after only her second competition when she won the 3-meter and was second in the 1-meter event at a dual meet against LSU, Tulane and Rice.
Lonnegren is also heading to Budapest this summer for the European Championships to dive in the 10-meter platform event.
Reka Kovacs, Beccy Hillis and Andrea Kells represented the swimming team on the list, while divers Jessalyn Almond and Julia Lonnegren also earned spots on the Honorable Mention list.
The three swimmers and two divers were named to the list after earning at least a 3.5 GPA last season while also recording an NCAA "B" time or qualifying for the NCAA Zone Diving Championships.
"Coach Jane Figuieredo, assistant coach Jaime Lewis and I know our main task is to help these young ladies receive an education as well and perfect their sport," head swimming coach Mark Taylor said.
"These young ladies have excelled at the highest levels of both, and we couldn't be prouder. We endeavor to have more reach this standard of excellence."
Kovacs claimed Conference USA Freshman Swimmer of the Year honors following a great season and an excellent showing at the C-USA Championships. She earned first place with a time of 4:16.24 in the 400-yard IM, breaking the C-USA Meet and Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium record and qualified as an NCAA `B' time. The Budapest, Hungary, native recorded another NCAA `B' mark by touching the wall in 2:16.19 in the 200-yard breaststroke earning fourth place at the meet.
Kovacs is preparing to swim in the 30th European Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Aug. 4-15. There she will swim in the 200- and 400-yard IM events and the 200-yard breaststroke.
Hillis started her sophomore season off on a strong note, earning C-USA Swimmer of the Week honors in just the second week of the season. She finished the season leading the team in both breaststroke events and moved into the Houston record books at the C-USA Championships. The Scotland native finished with the fourth-fastest time in school history in the 100-yard breaststroke and the second fastest in the 200-yard breaststroke. Her 200-yard time was also an NCAA "B" qualifying time.
Kells finished the season as the team leader in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly events as a junior. She moved into eighth and ninth place in the Top 10 performances with two strong swims in the 100-yard butterfly.
Almond earned two NCAA "A" marks in the 1- and 3-meter diving events to qualify for her second consecutive NCAA Zone Championship. She went on to set personal bests in both events and finished fifth and ninth in the 3- and 1-meter events at the C-USA Championships.
Lonnegren became the eighth Cougar in nine years to take home C-USA Freshman Diver of the Year honors. The Sweden native earned third place in the 1-meter and platform events at the C-USA Championships. She joined the team in the second semester but made up for missed time by being named C-USA Diver of the Week after only her second competition when she won the 3-meter and was second in the 1-meter event at a dual meet against LSU, Tulane and Rice.
Lonnegren is also heading to Budapest this summer for the European Championships to dive in the 10-meter platform event.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Conference USA Swimmer-Diver of the Week
IRVING, TEXAS (October 15, 2008) After two weeks of competition, Conference USA women's swimming has had a strong start this season. East Carolina and Houston both ended the week with perfect records. Marshall defeated Xavier (Ohio) 162-114 and Rice outscored North Texas at Texas A&M 184-109. In their only competition to date, SMU took first place honors on Oct. 3 at the Mean Green Relays in Keller, Texas.
Houston's Sasha Schwendenwein is Conference USA's first Swimmer of the Week for the 2008-09 season after winning each of her eight events over the weekend against Southwestern and North Texas and helping the Cougars to a 2-0 record. All-American and Olympian teammate Anastasia Pozdniakova is the Diver of the Week. Pozdniakova returned from the 2008 Olympics and automatically qualified for the NCAA Zone Diving meet after scoring 307.43 points in the 1-meter competition against North Texas.
SWIMMER OF THE WEEK (10/14)
SASHA SCHWENDENWEIN - HOUSTON
Sr., Randburg, South Africa (Crawford College)
Schwendenwein helped lead the Cougars to a 2-0 record after winning all eight of her events over the weekend against Southwestern and North Texas. The senior swimmer was a member of the winning 400-yard medley relay team that finished with a time of 4:13.03 against Southwestern. In the same meet, she took the top spot in the 50-yard freestyle clocking a time of 25.45, finished first in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:11.45 and ended the meet with a win in the 200-yard IM in 2:10.90. Against North Texas, Schwendenwein won the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:05.43 and the 100-yard freestyle in 51.92. In her final two races of the day, she won the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:04.30 while her time of 3:33.14 gave her the top spot in the 400-yard freestyle relay. The weekly award is the third of Schwendenwein's career.
DIVER OF THE WEEK (10/14)
ANASTASIA POZDNIAKOVA - HOUSTON
Jr., Elektrostal, Russia (Secondary General Education School No. 16)
Pozdniakova helped the Cougars to a win over North Texas in the first home meet of the 2008-09 season. She won both the 1-meter competition scoring 307.43 points and the 3-meter competition after scoring 281.70 points in the event. Both scores qualified her for the NCAA Zone Diving meet. In the 1-meter competition, Pozdniakova was the only diver to surpass 300 points and helped the Cougars to a sweep in the top three places in each event. Pozdniakova was named the Conference USA Diver of the Meet after winning both the 1-meter and 3-meter championship during the 2007 C-USA Swimming and Diving Championships. She was a red-shirt last season and did not compete for the Cougars as she trained for the Olympics where she earned silver medalist honors. This is the junior's fifth career weekly honor.
OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
AMANDA DUNCAN - East Carolina
Duncan helped lead the Pirates to head-to-head victories over Marshall, West Virginia and Xavier (Ohio). The senior swimmer posted first-place finishes in the 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly.
Siobhan Schuurman - Marshall
Schuurman helped Marshall to a win over Xavier with first-place finishes in both the 1-meter and 3-meter. Schuurman is the school record-holder in both the 1-meter and platform dives.
Angela Wo - Rice
Wo was one of Rice's top performers in the owl's season-opening double-dual meet against nationally-ranked Texas A&M and the University of North Texas. In addition to a second-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly, Wo also posted a career-best time of 2:06.47 to take fourth in the 200-fly.
Christy-Leigh Lategan - SMU
Lategan was a member of four relay teams that placed first. She helped her team in the with the 800-yard freestyle relay by swimming the fastest time of 1:52.05. The freshman swimmer also swam in the 500- yard freestyle relay winning with a time of 4:29.79, almost six seconds faster than the second place finishers. SMU won the North Texas Relays by placing first in eight of ten events.
Houston's Sasha Schwendenwein is Conference USA's first Swimmer of the Week for the 2008-09 season after winning each of her eight events over the weekend against Southwestern and North Texas and helping the Cougars to a 2-0 record. All-American and Olympian teammate Anastasia Pozdniakova is the Diver of the Week. Pozdniakova returned from the 2008 Olympics and automatically qualified for the NCAA Zone Diving meet after scoring 307.43 points in the 1-meter competition against North Texas.
SWIMMER OF THE WEEK (10/14)
SASHA SCHWENDENWEIN - HOUSTON
Sr., Randburg, South Africa (Crawford College)
Schwendenwein helped lead the Cougars to a 2-0 record after winning all eight of her events over the weekend against Southwestern and North Texas. The senior swimmer was a member of the winning 400-yard medley relay team that finished with a time of 4:13.03 against Southwestern. In the same meet, she took the top spot in the 50-yard freestyle clocking a time of 25.45, finished first in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:11.45 and ended the meet with a win in the 200-yard IM in 2:10.90. Against North Texas, Schwendenwein won the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:05.43 and the 100-yard freestyle in 51.92. In her final two races of the day, she won the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:04.30 while her time of 3:33.14 gave her the top spot in the 400-yard freestyle relay. The weekly award is the third of Schwendenwein's career.
DIVER OF THE WEEK (10/14)
ANASTASIA POZDNIAKOVA - HOUSTON
Jr., Elektrostal, Russia (Secondary General Education School No. 16)
Pozdniakova helped the Cougars to a win over North Texas in the first home meet of the 2008-09 season. She won both the 1-meter competition scoring 307.43 points and the 3-meter competition after scoring 281.70 points in the event. Both scores qualified her for the NCAA Zone Diving meet. In the 1-meter competition, Pozdniakova was the only diver to surpass 300 points and helped the Cougars to a sweep in the top three places in each event. Pozdniakova was named the Conference USA Diver of the Meet after winning both the 1-meter and 3-meter championship during the 2007 C-USA Swimming and Diving Championships. She was a red-shirt last season and did not compete for the Cougars as she trained for the Olympics where she earned silver medalist honors. This is the junior's fifth career weekly honor.
OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
AMANDA DUNCAN - East Carolina
Duncan helped lead the Pirates to head-to-head victories over Marshall, West Virginia and Xavier (Ohio). The senior swimmer posted first-place finishes in the 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly.
Siobhan Schuurman - Marshall
Schuurman helped Marshall to a win over Xavier with first-place finishes in both the 1-meter and 3-meter. Schuurman is the school record-holder in both the 1-meter and platform dives.
Angela Wo - Rice
Wo was one of Rice's top performers in the owl's season-opening double-dual meet against nationally-ranked Texas A&M and the University of North Texas. In addition to a second-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly, Wo also posted a career-best time of 2:06.47 to take fourth in the 200-fly.
Christy-Leigh Lategan - SMU
Lategan was a member of four relay teams that placed first. She helped her team in the with the 800-yard freestyle relay by swimming the fastest time of 1:52.05. The freshman swimmer also swam in the 500- yard freestyle relay winning with a time of 4:29.79, almost six seconds faster than the second place finishers. SMU won the North Texas Relays by placing first in eight of ten events.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
UH Swimming and Diving Wins Dual Meets Over the Weekend
HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 11, 2008) The University of Houston swimming and diving team won two dual meets this weekend to open the 2008-09 season.Houston opened the weekend with a 132-88 win over Southwestern and capped it off with a 174-126 win over North Texas on Saturday at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center.
The Cougars were led by divers Anastasia Pozdniakova and Lacey Truelove. Pozdniakova finished with an NCAA “A” qualifying mark in both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events and Truelove notched a “B” qualifying mark in the 1-meter event.
Junior Jessica Shamburger also recorded the schools 10th fastest time in the 100-yard backstroke with her winning time of 57.57 on Saturday.
Houston 174, North Texas 126
In the first event of the afternoon against the Mean Green, Houston finished first and fourth in the 200-yard medley relay. The Cougar “A” team of Jessica Shamburger, Beccy Hillis, Andrea Kells and Paige Bissett finished first with a time of 1:48.68. The “B” team of Rachel Johnson, Natalie Newcomb, Doreen Polotzek and Brittany Copeland finished fourth with a time of 1:55.46.
Co-captain Andrea Pa’lmai won her first event of the afternoon with a time of 10:22.03 in the 1,000-yard freestyle. She was followed by Olga Bordatcheva (11:01.17), Rachel Holcomb (11:49.32) and Markee Johnson (12:18.40) who finished fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively.
Pa’lmai also went on the win the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:06.35 and the 400-yard IM with a time of 4:34.76. Bissett and Rachel Johnson finished sixth (2:15.50) and seventh (2:22.43) respectively in the 200-yard backstroke. Natalie Newcomb was fifth for the Cougars in the 400-yard IM with a time of 4:47.07.
In the third event of the afternoon, North Texas edged Kim Eeson for first place in the 200-yard freestyle. Eeson finished second with a time of 1:53.12. Newcomb added a fourth place finish (2:00.60), while Amber Pace was seventh (2:09.01).
After earning a first place finish in the 200-yard medley relay, Shamburger won her second event of the day finishing first in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 57.57. Her winning time is also the 10th fastest time in Cougar record books. Bissett added a fourth place finish (1:00.73), while Amber Brodeur (1:06.08) was seventh and Rachel Johnson was eighth (1:06.52).
The Cougars followed up the win in the 200-yard medley with win in the 100-yard breaststroke. Hillis won her second event of the day with a time of 1:05.76. Polotzek notched a third place finish (1:09.99), Kells was fifth (1:12.59) and Borbala Juhasz was sixth (1:19.87). Polotzek’s finish set a new career best for the Essen, Germany native.
Hillis won her third event of the day with a 2:20.87 finish in the 200-yard breaststroke. Bordatcheva, Newcomb and Juhasz also finished third (2:29.24), fourth (2:29.57) and seventh (2:57.27) for the Cougars in the event.
Co-captain Sasha Schwendenwein won the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:05.43 and Danica Lubbers was fifth with a time of 2:19.02. Schwendenwein won her second event of the afternoon with a time of 51.92 in the 100-yard freestyle. Copeland, Pace and Stone rounded out the Cougar participants. The trio finish sixth (56.65), seventh (57.63) and eighth (59.55), respectively.
Schwendenwein would also win the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:04.30 and Eeson was second with a time of 5:07.49. Rachel Johnson was seventh (5:48.69) and Markee Johnson was eighth (5:54.58).
Eeson notched her second second-place finish of the afternoon with a 25.07 time in the 50-yard freestyle. Teammates Copeland (25.52), Shamburger (25.70) and Anne Stone (26.70) finished fifth, sixth and eighth, respectively.
Four Cougars swam in the 100-yard butterfly for Houston. Leading the way was Kells with a second place finish of 58:84 and Polotzek finished third (1:00.00). Bissett and Lubbers rounded out the group finishing fifth (1:00.93) and eighth (1:03.23), respectively.
Houston ended the afternoon with a win in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Eeson, Shamburger, Copeland and Schwendenwein combined to finish 3:3.14 in the event. Houston’s “B” relay team of Polotzek, Pace, Pa’lmai and Bordatcheva finished fifth with a time of 3:43.56.
In the diving events, in her first collegiate meet since 2006 after taking a redshirt season to prepare for the 2008 Beijng Olympics, junior Anastasia Pozdniakova won the 1-meter diving competition with 307.43 points. She was followed in second by Lacey Truelove with 260.70 points and Courtney Forcucci in third with 253.35 points. Jessalyn Almond finished fourth with 232.42 points.
With their points total in the 1-meter event, Pozdniakova recorded an NCAA “A” finish, while Truelove notched an NCAA “B” finish.
In the 3-meter event, Pozdniakova again took first with 281.70 points and another NCAA “A” finish. Truelove (265.58 pts.), Almond (261.90 pts.) and Forcucci (254.85 pts.) rounded out the top four.
Houston 132, Southwestern 88
On Friday night, Houston traveled to Georgetown, Texas for a dual meet against Southwestern. UH won the meet with a score of 132-88.
In the 400-yard medley relay, the Cougars “A” relay finished first with a time of 4:13.03. The “A” relay team consisted of Bissett, Schwenedwein, Lubbers and Copeland. The “B” team of Rachel Johnson, Juhasz, Pa’lmai and Pace finished third with a time of 4:28:18.
In the 1,000-yard freestyle Newcomb finished first with a time of 10:56.02 and Bordatcheva took first in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:00.50
Bissett captured first in the 50 yard backstroke with a time of 28:86, while Kells was first in the 50-yard breaststroke with a time of 33.51
Eeson continue the trend of Cougar swimmers finishing first in the 200-yard butterfly, coming in with a time of 2:14.31.
Schwendenwein captured her first individual win of the meet in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 25:45 and Pa’lmai finished first with a time of 56:66 in the 100-yard freestyle to take first as well. Schwendenwein captured her third win of the day with a 2:11.45 finish in the 200-yard backstroke and Pa’lmai was once again first in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:29.23.
Bordatcheva captured her second win in the mixed 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:15.86 and Kells notched her second win of the day in the 50-yard butterfly with a time of 27.33.
Houston closed out the meet with two more wins, including a Schwendenwein win in the 200-yard IM (2:10.90) and a top finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Bordatcheva, Shamburger, Copeland and Bissett combined to finish with a time of 3:49.88.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Cougars To Kick Off Season This Afternoon
HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 1, 2008) The University of Houston swimming and diving team will open the 2008-09 season Wednesday with the annual Red and White Meet at 3pm.The intrasquad meet is the annual opening to the season and will take place at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium. The meet is free and open to the public.
Senior Andrea Pa'lmai will captain the Red Team. She will compete with senior Doreen Polotzek, sophomores Markee Johnson, Brittany Copeland, Paige Bissett and Courtney Forcucci. Freshmen Beccy Hillis, Olga Bordatcheva, Anne Stone, Rachel Holcomb, Jessalyn Almond and Rachel Erickson will complete the team.
On the White Team, guided by senior Sasha Swendenwein, will be juniors Anastasia Pozdniakova and Jessica Shamburger, sophomores Andrea Kells, Amber Brodeur and Lacey Truelove and freshmen Kimberlee Eeson, Natalie Newcomb, Borbala Juhasz, Amber Pace, Danica Lubbers and Rachel Johnson.
The meet will consist of 15 events and each swimmer will compete in three individual events and two relays while the divers will compete in two individual events and one relay.
A complete recap of the meet will be available at www.UHCougars.com following the day's events.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Cougar Divers Win Silver Medal At Beijing Olympics
BEIJING, CHINA (August 11, 2008) Cougar diver Anastasia Pozdniakova and former Cougar Yulia Pakhalina joined forces to take home a silver medal in the synchronized diving competition for Russia at the Beijing Olympics.The duo scored 323.61 points to take home a medal. They finished second to the China while Germany took home bronze. This is Pozdniakova's first Olympic medal and the fourth for Pakhalina. She has won one gold, two silvers and one bronze.
Pozdniakova and Pakhalina will join with former Cougar Tania Cognotto to compete in the 3-meter springboard on Aug. 15-17. Cognotto, competing for Italy, will also dive in the 10-meter platform on Aug. 20-21.
All diving events will take place at the National Aquatics Center on the Olympic Green, and the Olympics are scheduled to air on the NBC family of networks.
Pozdniakova was named the Conference USA Diver of the Meet after winning both the 1-meter and 3-meter championship during the 2007 C-USA Swimming and Diving Championships. She was a red-shirt this past season and did not compete for the Cougars as she trained for the Olympics. In 2006-07, she was also named the C-USA Diver of the Week four times during the regular season.
Pozdniakova continued the success of her sophomore campaign, winning the 1-meter and 3-meter championships at the NCAA Zone D Meet. She finished second on the 3-meter springboard and fifth in the 1-meter competition at the NCAA meet, earning All-America status.
Pakhalina, an Olympic medal winner, took home bronze in the 3-meter springboard and silver in synchronized diving at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. She also was a gold medalist in synchronized diving in Sydney in 2000.
As a Cougar, Pakhalina was a five-time NCAA individual national champion in the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard. She also recorded 36 consecutive wins in collegiate competition and was an 11-time C-USA Diver of the Week.
Cougar diving coach Jane Figueiredo will be an assistant coach for the Russian team for the third time, including in 2000 and 2004. She also was an assistant coach for Great Britain in 1996 and competed as a diver in the 1984 Olympics in Pos Angeles.
While Cagnotto only competed at Houston for one season, she set a UH and C-USA record by being named C-USA Diver of the Week nine times and swept all three diving events at the 2006 C-USA Championship. She was just the second diver in C-USA history to win all three diving events at one championship meet, joining Pakhalina who accomplished the feat in 2002.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Three UH Divers Earn All-America Honors on Platform at NCAA Championship
COLUMBUS, OHIO (Mrach 23, 2008) Three University of Houston divers capped their 2007-08 season in impressive style by earning All-America honors on the platform during the final day of the NCAA Championships on Saturday at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion on the campus of Ohio State.
Freshman Lacey Truelove, competing in her first NCAA Championship, earned the best finish by any Cougar at the 2008 meet, finishing sixth on the platform with 272.35 points during the finals. It was the first All-America honor for the London, Ontario, native, who recorded 304.95 points during the preliminaries earlier in the day.
Senior captain Ginni van Katwijk won the consolation finals with 296.20 points, while freshman Courtney Forcucci finished 15th with 224.40 points.It was the second All-America honor at the 2008 NCAA Championship for van Katwijk, who finished 10th on the 3-meter springboard on Friday.
Competing in her first NCAA Championship, Forcucci collected the first All-America honor of her career.With their performance on Saturday alone, the Cougar trio earned 24 points to help lead Houston to a final team score of 29 points.
The Cougars finished 28th in the overall team standings, the first time during the last eight seasons that UH failed to finish among the Top-25 team leaders at the nation’s top collegiate meet.
van Katwijk collected 252.70 points, while Forcucci posted 226.35 points during the preliminaries earlier in the day.Brittany Viola of Miami (Fla.) won the platform national championship with 362.60 points during the finals.
Arizona won the 2008 team national championship with 484 points, while Auburn finished second with 348 points. The Cougars earned the second most points among Conference USA teams, trailing only SMU, which earned 126 points to finish 11th.
Forcucci earned her place at the NCAA Championship after finishing second on the 1-meter springboard during the three-day meet's first day. van Katwijk and Truelove qualified the next day after finishing 1-2, respectively, on the 3-meter board.
Truelove added to her impressive resume during her first collegiate season by winning the platform title at the NCAA Zone D meet on Sunday.While Truelove and Forcucci will compete in their first NCAA Championship, the event is nothing new for diving head coach Jane Figueiredo. During her illustrious 18-year career at UH, Figueiredo now has led 26 divers to the NCAA Championship.
Adding her divers’ 2008 performances to her resume, Figueiredo has mentored 13 divers to 39 All-America honors.This marked the eighth consecutive year that at least one UH diver competed at the NCAA Championship, and it was the fifth straight season that the Cougars sent multiple divers to the Championship.
Freshman Lacey Truelove, competing in her first NCAA Championship, earned the best finish by any Cougar at the 2008 meet, finishing sixth on the platform with 272.35 points during the finals. It was the first All-America honor for the London, Ontario, native, who recorded 304.95 points during the preliminaries earlier in the day.
Senior captain Ginni van Katwijk won the consolation finals with 296.20 points, while freshman Courtney Forcucci finished 15th with 224.40 points.It was the second All-America honor at the 2008 NCAA Championship for van Katwijk, who finished 10th on the 3-meter springboard on Friday.
Competing in her first NCAA Championship, Forcucci collected the first All-America honor of her career.With their performance on Saturday alone, the Cougar trio earned 24 points to help lead Houston to a final team score of 29 points.
The Cougars finished 28th in the overall team standings, the first time during the last eight seasons that UH failed to finish among the Top-25 team leaders at the nation’s top collegiate meet.
van Katwijk collected 252.70 points, while Forcucci posted 226.35 points during the preliminaries earlier in the day.Brittany Viola of Miami (Fla.) won the platform national championship with 362.60 points during the finals.
Arizona won the 2008 team national championship with 484 points, while Auburn finished second with 348 points. The Cougars earned the second most points among Conference USA teams, trailing only SMU, which earned 126 points to finish 11th.
Forcucci earned her place at the NCAA Championship after finishing second on the 1-meter springboard during the three-day meet's first day. van Katwijk and Truelove qualified the next day after finishing 1-2, respectively, on the 3-meter board.
Truelove added to her impressive resume during her first collegiate season by winning the platform title at the NCAA Zone D meet on Sunday.While Truelove and Forcucci will compete in their first NCAA Championship, the event is nothing new for diving head coach Jane Figueiredo. During her illustrious 18-year career at UH, Figueiredo now has led 26 divers to the NCAA Championship.
Adding her divers’ 2008 performances to her resume, Figueiredo has mentored 13 divers to 39 All-America honors.This marked the eighth consecutive year that at least one UH diver competed at the NCAA Championship, and it was the fifth straight season that the Cougars sent multiple divers to the Championship.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Houston Swimming and Diving Plays Host to 2008 C-USA Women¹s Championship
HOUSTON, TEXAS (February 26, 2008) For the fifth straight season, some of the nation's top collegiate swimmers and divers will visit Houston during the 2008 Conference USA Women¹s Swimming and Diving Championship and Invitational.
The meet begins at 3 p.m., Feb. 27 at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium with the preliminaries of the men's 1-meter diving. Finals begin at 6 p.m. and will include the men's 1-meter diving as well as the men¹s and women's 200-yard medley relay and 800-yard freestyle relay.
The final three days of the four-day meet features swimming preliminaries beginning at 10 a.m., each day. Diving preliminaries are slated to start at 1 p.m., with the finals for all events beginning at 6 p.m., each day.
In addition to the Cougars, the women¹s side of the meet features C-USA rivals East Carolina, Marshall, Rice and SMU as well as Cal State Bakersfield, Northern Colorado. The men¹s side of the Invitational features East Carolina, SMU, Hawai¹i and Cal State Bakersfield.
This marks the fifth straight season that Houston has hosted the league's postseason extravaganza. The Cougars are the only school to host the Championship at an on-campus site.
All-session tickets are available for only $25 for adults and $10 for youth. Single-day tickets are available for $10 for adults and $5 for students with ID. Youth includes children from 3 years old to high school. Children who are 2 years old and younger are admitted free.
All students from Conference USA schools are admitted free with a valid student ID. Fans should note that cash only will be accepted at the Tickets table.
There will be no charge for all fans for Wednesday night's opening session. Fans attending sessions beginning Thursday morning will be charged accordingly.
Gates will open, and tickets will be sold beginning one hour prior to the meet. In addition, a wide variety of Championship merchandise will be available near the Tickets table.
The Cougars, competing under sixth-year head coach Mark Taylor, finished fourth a year ago and look to improve their standing during the 2008 meet. UH finished the regular season with a 9-8 record in dual meets, marking the program's third straight winning season.
It was the first time since 1983-86 that UH accomplished that feat. This season, the UH swimmers are led by juniors Sasha Schwendenwein and Andrea Pa'lmai.
Schwendenwein has posted the Cougars¹ season-best times in the 50-, 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle events as well as the 200-yard butterfly. The Randburg, South Africa, native already has provisionally qualified for the 2008 NCAA Championships with her time of 1:49.88 in the 200-yard freestyle during the Miami (Ohio) Invitational on Nov. 30, 2007.
Pa'lmai also has emerged as one of the Cougars¹ most consistent performers. The Budapest, Hungary, native leads all Cougar swimmers in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke as well as the 200-yard backstroke.
As impressive as the Cougar swimmers have been this season and at past C-USA Championships, the UH divers have established themselves as some of the nation's best.
Under the leadership of 18-year head coach Jane Figueiredo, senior captain Ginni van Katwijk and freshmen Courtney Forcucci and Lacey Truelove are expected to do well at the 2008 meet.
The Cougars have dominated diving at the C-USA Championship, winning six straight championships on the 1- and 3-meter springboards and the platform.
Cougar divers also have been honored as the C-USA Diver of the Year and Diver of the meet during each of the last six seasons, while Figueiredo has been honored for six straight years as the Diving Coach of the Year.
SMU comes into the meet as the two-time defending champions, while Rice and East Carolina each finished second in the standings during the last two years.
On the men¹s side, SMU returns as the two-time defending champions with East Carolina and Hawai¹i finished second in each of the last two years.
The meet begins at 3 p.m., Feb. 27 at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium with the preliminaries of the men's 1-meter diving. Finals begin at 6 p.m. and will include the men's 1-meter diving as well as the men¹s and women's 200-yard medley relay and 800-yard freestyle relay.
The final three days of the four-day meet features swimming preliminaries beginning at 10 a.m., each day. Diving preliminaries are slated to start at 1 p.m., with the finals for all events beginning at 6 p.m., each day.
In addition to the Cougars, the women¹s side of the meet features C-USA rivals East Carolina, Marshall, Rice and SMU as well as Cal State Bakersfield, Northern Colorado. The men¹s side of the Invitational features East Carolina, SMU, Hawai¹i and Cal State Bakersfield.
This marks the fifth straight season that Houston has hosted the league's postseason extravaganza. The Cougars are the only school to host the Championship at an on-campus site.
All-session tickets are available for only $25 for adults and $10 for youth. Single-day tickets are available for $10 for adults and $5 for students with ID. Youth includes children from 3 years old to high school. Children who are 2 years old and younger are admitted free.
All students from Conference USA schools are admitted free with a valid student ID. Fans should note that cash only will be accepted at the Tickets table.
There will be no charge for all fans for Wednesday night's opening session. Fans attending sessions beginning Thursday morning will be charged accordingly.
Gates will open, and tickets will be sold beginning one hour prior to the meet. In addition, a wide variety of Championship merchandise will be available near the Tickets table.
The Cougars, competing under sixth-year head coach Mark Taylor, finished fourth a year ago and look to improve their standing during the 2008 meet. UH finished the regular season with a 9-8 record in dual meets, marking the program's third straight winning season.
It was the first time since 1983-86 that UH accomplished that feat. This season, the UH swimmers are led by juniors Sasha Schwendenwein and Andrea Pa'lmai.
Schwendenwein has posted the Cougars¹ season-best times in the 50-, 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle events as well as the 200-yard butterfly. The Randburg, South Africa, native already has provisionally qualified for the 2008 NCAA Championships with her time of 1:49.88 in the 200-yard freestyle during the Miami (Ohio) Invitational on Nov. 30, 2007.
Pa'lmai also has emerged as one of the Cougars¹ most consistent performers. The Budapest, Hungary, native leads all Cougar swimmers in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke as well as the 200-yard backstroke.
As impressive as the Cougar swimmers have been this season and at past C-USA Championships, the UH divers have established themselves as some of the nation's best.
Under the leadership of 18-year head coach Jane Figueiredo, senior captain Ginni van Katwijk and freshmen Courtney Forcucci and Lacey Truelove are expected to do well at the 2008 meet.
The Cougars have dominated diving at the C-USA Championship, winning six straight championships on the 1- and 3-meter springboards and the platform.
Cougar divers also have been honored as the C-USA Diver of the Year and Diver of the meet during each of the last six seasons, while Figueiredo has been honored for six straight years as the Diving Coach of the Year.
SMU comes into the meet as the two-time defending champions, while Rice and East Carolina each finished second in the standings during the last two years.
On the men¹s side, SMU returns as the two-time defending champions with East Carolina and Hawai¹i finished second in each of the last two years.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Swimming and Diving Wraps up Regular Season this Weekend
HOUSTON, TEXAS (January 31, 2008) The University of Houston swimming and diving team begins its final week of the regular season at 5 p.m., Friday as it travels to College Station to face No. 6 Texas A&M at the Student Rec Natatorium.
The Cougars (8-7) will be looking to snap a four-meet losing streak after being swept by No. 24 LSU and Conference USA rival Rice last weekend at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium.
At that meet, freshman diver Courtney Forcucci swept both springboard events to lead UH. For her impressive efforts, she was honored earlier this week as the C-USA Diver of the Week, the second time this season she has received the league's weekly award.
On the swimming side, a pair of juniors has led the Cougars this season. Sasha Schwendenwein has posted UH season-best times in the 50-, 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle events as well as the 200-yard butterfly and the 100-yard backstroke.
Andrea Pa'lmai leads UH in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke and the 200- and 400-yard individual medley. The Budapest, Hungary, native joined Forcucci as the only event winners last weekend after finishing first in the 400-yard individual medley.
Following their showdown against the Aggies, the Cougars return home to play host to New Orleans at 11:30 a.m., Saturday at the CRWC Natatorium. Fans should note that Saturday's starting time was recently changed from earlier published schedules.
Prior to the UNO, the Cougars will hold a ceremony to honor their 2008 seniors. The meet is free and open to the public, which is invited to attend.
The Cougars (8-7) will be looking to snap a four-meet losing streak after being swept by No. 24 LSU and Conference USA rival Rice last weekend at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium.
At that meet, freshman diver Courtney Forcucci swept both springboard events to lead UH. For her impressive efforts, she was honored earlier this week as the C-USA Diver of the Week, the second time this season she has received the league's weekly award.
On the swimming side, a pair of juniors has led the Cougars this season. Sasha Schwendenwein has posted UH season-best times in the 50-, 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle events as well as the 200-yard butterfly and the 100-yard backstroke.
Andrea Pa'lmai leads UH in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke and the 200- and 400-yard individual medley. The Budapest, Hungary, native joined Forcucci as the only event winners last weekend after finishing first in the 400-yard individual medley.
Following their showdown against the Aggies, the Cougars return home to play host to New Orleans at 11:30 a.m., Saturday at the CRWC Natatorium. Fans should note that Saturday's starting time was recently changed from earlier published schedules.
Prior to the UNO, the Cougars will hold a ceremony to honor their 2008 seniors. The meet is free and open to the public, which is invited to attend.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Courtney Forcucci Named C-USA Diver of the Week
HOUSTON, TEXAS (January 29, 2008) University of Houston freshman Courtney Forcucci was named Conference USA Diver of the week on Tuesday.Forcucci was the leading performer in last weekend’s meets, sweeping both events against Rice and No. 24 LSU. The Fort Mill, S.C., native won the 3-meter springboard, finishing nearly 40 points ahead of her competitor, with a season best of 332.03 points.
Her second win came during the 1-meter competition with 293.85 points, finishing more than 13 points ahead of the second-place competitor.
This was Forcucci’s second weekly honor for the 2007-08 season. She was first honored on Nov. 6, 2007.
The Cougar Swimming and Diving team will wrap up the regular season at 5 p.m., Friday, at No. 6 Texas A&M. The Cougars return home to play host to New Orleans at 11:30 a.m., Saturday at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium.
Fans should note that Saturday’s meet time was recently changed from earlier published schedules.
Following more than a three-week break UH will play host to the 2008 Conference USA Championship and Invitational. It begins Feb. 27 and runs through March 1 at the CRWC Natatorium. Other teams participating in the Championship are defending champion SMU, Rice, East Carolina, Marshall, Cal State Bakersfield, and Northern Colorado.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Houston Cougars Top Times Through January 20, 2008
By Robert H. Kelly
(Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications)
The University of Houston media relations department has released the top swimming times and diving scores through January 20, 2008 for the 2007-2008 season.
The Houston swimmers and divers are currently 8-5 in dual meet action. They will face LSU and Conference USA rival Rice on Friday and Saturday, January 25-26, 2008.
Action begins on Friday at 5:00 pm and on Saturday at 11:00 am.
You can view the top times by clicking here.
(Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications)
The University of Houston media relations department has released the top swimming times and diving scores through January 20, 2008 for the 2007-2008 season.
The Houston swimmers and divers are currently 8-5 in dual meet action. They will face LSU and Conference USA rival Rice on Friday and Saturday, January 25-26, 2008.
Action begins on Friday at 5:00 pm and on Saturday at 11:00 am.
You can view the top times by clicking here.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Houston Swimming and Diving Drops Dual Meet at No. 12 SMU
DALLAS, TEXAS (January 19, 2008) University of Houston freshman diver Courtney Forcucci scored 270.45 points on the 1-meter springboard to lead the Cougars during a 140-91 loss at No. 12 SMU on Saturday afternoon at Perkins Natatorium.
Forcucci grabbed top honors in a close race that saw less than five points separate the four competitors. Senior captain Ginni van Katwijk was a close second with 269.69 points.
The Cougars’ 200-yard freestyle relay team of Sasha Schwendenwein, Brittany Copeland, Doreen Polotzek and Lindsey Graves capped the day with a first-place finish after posting a time of 1:40.38.
Junior Sasha Schwendenwein finished second in both the 100- and 200-yard freestyle events, while freshman Andrea Kells captured second place in the 200-yard butterfly and the 200-yard breaststroke.
Freshman Lindsey Graves (1,000-yard freestyle), junior Andrea Pa’lmai (400-yard individual medley) and freshman Lacey Truelove (3-meter diving) also recorded second-place finishes to lead the Cougars.
The Cougars return to action next weekend when they play host to LSU and C-USA rival Rice during a two-day meet at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Natatorium. That meet begins at 5 p.m., Friday and wraps up at 11 a.m., Saturday.
The complete and final results can be viewed here.
Forcucci grabbed top honors in a close race that saw less than five points separate the four competitors. Senior captain Ginni van Katwijk was a close second with 269.69 points.
The Cougars’ 200-yard freestyle relay team of Sasha Schwendenwein, Brittany Copeland, Doreen Polotzek and Lindsey Graves capped the day with a first-place finish after posting a time of 1:40.38.
Junior Sasha Schwendenwein finished second in both the 100- and 200-yard freestyle events, while freshman Andrea Kells captured second place in the 200-yard butterfly and the 200-yard breaststroke.
Freshman Lindsey Graves (1,000-yard freestyle), junior Andrea Pa’lmai (400-yard individual medley) and freshman Lacey Truelove (3-meter diving) also recorded second-place finishes to lead the Cougars.
The Cougars return to action next weekend when they play host to LSU and C-USA rival Rice during a two-day meet at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Natatorium. That meet begins at 5 p.m., Friday and wraps up at 11 a.m., Saturday.
The complete and final results can be viewed here.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Houston Swimming Falls to North Texas
DENTON, TEXAS (January 18, 2008) Junior swimmers Andrea Pa'lmai and Sasha Schwendenwein and senior diving captain Ginni van Katwijk each won multiple events, but it would not be quite enough as North Texas claimed a 133-110 win over the University of Houston swimming and diving team Friday afternoon at the Pohl Recreation Center Natatorium.
Although the Cougars won the majority of the individual swimming events and swept the Top Three places in both diving events, the Mean Green began and capped the meet with relay wins to enjoy its first win against UH.
With the loss, the Cougars fell to 8-4 overall in dual meets this season. The Cougars also saw their 13-meet winning streak against the Mean Green come to an end.
Pa'lmai won the 1,00-yard freestyle with a time of 10:30.88 and added a similar finish in the 200-yard individual medley after posting a time of 2:08.22.
The Budapest, Hungary, native capped her day with a first-place showing in the 500-yard freestyle after recording a time of 5:06.00.
Schwendenwein finished first in the 200-yard freestyle with a clocking of 1:51.93. The Randburg, South Africa, native also won the 100-yard freestyle event with a time of 52.32.
van Katwijk led a Cougar sweep of the Top Three places in both diving events. The Grootebroek, Netherlands, native won the 1-meter event with 262.73 points and scored 273.08 points on the 3-meter springboard to grab top honors.
Freshman Andrea Kells grabbed top honors in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 58.64.
Freshman Courtney Forcucci finished second in the 1-meter event with fellow freshman Lacey Truelove placing second on the 3-meter board.
The Cougars wrap up their stay in north Texas when they face No. 12 SMU at 1 p.m., at Perkins Natatorium.
Click here for complete results.
Although the Cougars won the majority of the individual swimming events and swept the Top Three places in both diving events, the Mean Green began and capped the meet with relay wins to enjoy its first win against UH.
With the loss, the Cougars fell to 8-4 overall in dual meets this season. The Cougars also saw their 13-meet winning streak against the Mean Green come to an end.
Pa'lmai won the 1,00-yard freestyle with a time of 10:30.88 and added a similar finish in the 200-yard individual medley after posting a time of 2:08.22.
The Budapest, Hungary, native capped her day with a first-place showing in the 500-yard freestyle after recording a time of 5:06.00.
Schwendenwein finished first in the 200-yard freestyle with a clocking of 1:51.93. The Randburg, South Africa, native also won the 100-yard freestyle event with a time of 52.32.
van Katwijk led a Cougar sweep of the Top Three places in both diving events. The Grootebroek, Netherlands, native won the 1-meter event with 262.73 points and scored 273.08 points on the 3-meter springboard to grab top honors.
Freshman Andrea Kells grabbed top honors in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 58.64.
Freshman Courtney Forcucci finished second in the 1-meter event with fellow freshman Lacey Truelove placing second on the 3-meter board.
The Cougars wrap up their stay in north Texas when they face No. 12 SMU at 1 p.m., at Perkins Natatorium.
Click here for complete results.
Houston Swimming Sweeps at Hawai'i Relay Meet
HONOLULU, HAWAII (January 18, 2008) The University of Houston swimming team capped its winter training with an impressive sweep of Stony Brook, Puget Sound and St. Cloud State on Wednesday at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatics Center.
Competing in a variety of relay events only, the Cougars, who improved to 8-3 overall this season in dual meets, enjoyed 41-13 wins over both Stony Brook and Puget Sound and a 28-26 thriller over St. Cloud State.
The Cougars finished first or second in five of the six events in which they competed to take the wins.
The team of Andrea Pa'lmai, Doreen Polotzek, Andrea Kells and Sasha Schwendenwein started the meet on a high note, winning the 400-yard medley relay event with a time of 4:04.44, nearly six seconds faster than its closest competitor.
After second-place finishes in the 150-yard freestyle and the 150-yard butterfly relays, the team of Schwendenwein, Pa'lmai and freshman Paige Bissett claimed top honors in the 150-yard backstroke with a clocking of 1:23.91, nearly five seconds ahead of the closest competition.
The Cougars finished third in the 150-yard breaststroke relay before the team of Schwendenwein, Pa'lmai, Bissett and freshman Brittany Copeland finished first in the 500-yard freestyle relay with a time of 4:42.69, more than nine seconds ahead of their closest competitor.
Schwendwein was a member of three first-place teams, while Pa'lmai and Bissett were a part of two winning teams.
The Cougars were originally slated to compete on Dec. 31 in the relay meet and on Jan. 4 against an opponent to be determined but unforeseen circumstances forced the cancellation of those meets.
The Cougars return to action during this weekend with a trip to the Dallas area. The weekend starts at 4 p.m., January 18 when the Cougars face North Texas in Denton. From there, the team wraps up its stay in North Texas at 1 p.m., January 19, at No. 12 SMU.
Click here for complete results.
Competing in a variety of relay events only, the Cougars, who improved to 8-3 overall this season in dual meets, enjoyed 41-13 wins over both Stony Brook and Puget Sound and a 28-26 thriller over St. Cloud State.
The Cougars finished first or second in five of the six events in which they competed to take the wins.
The team of Andrea Pa'lmai, Doreen Polotzek, Andrea Kells and Sasha Schwendenwein started the meet on a high note, winning the 400-yard medley relay event with a time of 4:04.44, nearly six seconds faster than its closest competitor.
After second-place finishes in the 150-yard freestyle and the 150-yard butterfly relays, the team of Schwendenwein, Pa'lmai and freshman Paige Bissett claimed top honors in the 150-yard backstroke with a clocking of 1:23.91, nearly five seconds ahead of the closest competition.
The Cougars finished third in the 150-yard breaststroke relay before the team of Schwendenwein, Pa'lmai, Bissett and freshman Brittany Copeland finished first in the 500-yard freestyle relay with a time of 4:42.69, more than nine seconds ahead of their closest competitor.
Schwendwein was a member of three first-place teams, while Pa'lmai and Bissett were a part of two winning teams.
The Cougars were originally slated to compete on Dec. 31 in the relay meet and on Jan. 4 against an opponent to be determined but unforeseen circumstances forced the cancellation of those meets.
The Cougars return to action during this weekend with a trip to the Dallas area. The weekend starts at 4 p.m., January 18 when the Cougars face North Texas in Denton. From there, the team wraps up its stay in North Texas at 1 p.m., January 19, at No. 12 SMU.
Click here for complete results.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Truelove Leads Houston Diving on Platform at Texas Invitational
AUSTIN, Texas and OXFORD, Ohio (December 1, 2007) University of Houston freshman Lacey Truelove scored 221.35 points to finish fourth on the platform and lead the Cougar diving team during the final day of the Texas Invitational at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.
It was the second straight day that the London, Ontario, native led the Cougars after finishing fourth on the 1-meter springboard on Friday.
Senior captain Ginni van Katwijk placed sixth with 210.55 points, while freshman Courtney Forcucci placed 11th with 190.55 points.
Despite not having their swimming counterparts with them, the Cougars finished 12th in the team standings with 40 points. Arizona won the team competition with 859 points.
Meanwhile, junior Sasha Schwendenwein led the Cougar swimming team during the final day of the Miami (Ohio) Invitational at Corwin Nixon Natatorium. The Randburg, South Africa, native won the 500-yard freestyle with a clocking of 4:55.51.
It was the second straight day that Schwendenwein won an individual event after claiming top honors in the 200-yard freestyle on Friday.
Although they did not have their diving teammates, the Cougars finished ninth in the team standings with 551 points. Host Miami (Ohio) won the team competition with 2,103 points.
The Cougars will take nearly a month off before continuing their winter training at 5 p.m., Dec. 31, at the Hawai’i Relay Meet in Honolulu, Hawai’i. UH also will square off against an opponent to be determined on Jan. 4 in Honolulu.
It was the second straight day that the London, Ontario, native led the Cougars after finishing fourth on the 1-meter springboard on Friday.
Senior captain Ginni van Katwijk placed sixth with 210.55 points, while freshman Courtney Forcucci placed 11th with 190.55 points.
Despite not having their swimming counterparts with them, the Cougars finished 12th in the team standings with 40 points. Arizona won the team competition with 859 points.
Meanwhile, junior Sasha Schwendenwein led the Cougar swimming team during the final day of the Miami (Ohio) Invitational at Corwin Nixon Natatorium. The Randburg, South Africa, native won the 500-yard freestyle with a clocking of 4:55.51.
It was the second straight day that Schwendenwein won an individual event after claiming top honors in the 200-yard freestyle on Friday.
Although they did not have their diving teammates, the Cougars finished ninth in the team standings with 551 points. Host Miami (Ohio) won the team competition with 2,103 points.
The Cougars will take nearly a month off before continuing their winter training at 5 p.m., Dec. 31, at the Hawai’i Relay Meet in Honolulu, Hawai’i. UH also will square off against an opponent to be determined on Jan. 4 in Honolulu.
Schwendenwein Leads Houston Swimmers at Miami (Ohio) Invitational; Truelove Tops Cougars on 1-Meter Springboard at Texas Invitational
AUSTIN, Texas and OXFORD, Ohio (November 30, 2007) University of Houston junior Sasha Schwendenwein posted a time of 1:49.88 to win the 200-yard freestyle by less than a tenth of a second during the second day of the Miami (Ohio) Invitational at the Corwin Nixon Natatorium.
After finishing with a time of 1:53.13 during the preliminaries earlier in the day, Schwendenwein bested her time by more than three seconds in the finals. In the finals, the Randburg, South Africa native edged Miami (Ohio)’s Allison Stevens.
Junior Andrea Pa’lmai finished fourth in the 400-yard individual medley with a clocking of 4:29.79.
The Cougars stood in 10th place in the team standings with 301 points. Host Miami (Ohio) led the way after the second day with 1,070 points and was followed by Truman State (858), Oakland (614), Denison (459), Wright State (411), Cincinnati (345), Marshall (306) and Emory (304).
The Cougars wrap up their stay at the Miami (Ohio) Invitational, beginning at 9 a.m., Saturday. The day’s schedule includes the 200-yard medley relay, 200-yard backstroke, 500-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard breaststroke, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley and 400-yard freestyle relay.
On the diving side, freshman Lacey Truelove finished sixth on the 1-meter springboard with 253.20 points in the finals. Earlier in the day, the London, Ontario, native qualified for the finals, scoring 247.75 points in the preliminaries.
Freshman Courtney Forcucci scored 214.95 points in the preliminaries to finish 22nd.
The divers conclude their visit to Austin, beginning at 12:30 p.m., Saturday with the platform competition.
Despite not having their swimming counterparts, the Cougar divers stood in 11th place with 40 points in the team standings at the Texas Invitational.
After finishing with a time of 1:53.13 during the preliminaries earlier in the day, Schwendenwein bested her time by more than three seconds in the finals. In the finals, the Randburg, South Africa native edged Miami (Ohio)’s Allison Stevens.
Junior Andrea Pa’lmai finished fourth in the 400-yard individual medley with a clocking of 4:29.79.
The Cougars stood in 10th place in the team standings with 301 points. Host Miami (Ohio) led the way after the second day with 1,070 points and was followed by Truman State (858), Oakland (614), Denison (459), Wright State (411), Cincinnati (345), Marshall (306) and Emory (304).
The Cougars wrap up their stay at the Miami (Ohio) Invitational, beginning at 9 a.m., Saturday. The day’s schedule includes the 200-yard medley relay, 200-yard backstroke, 500-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard breaststroke, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley and 400-yard freestyle relay.
On the diving side, freshman Lacey Truelove finished sixth on the 1-meter springboard with 253.20 points in the finals. Earlier in the day, the London, Ontario, native qualified for the finals, scoring 247.75 points in the preliminaries.
Freshman Courtney Forcucci scored 214.95 points in the preliminaries to finish 22nd.
The divers conclude their visit to Austin, beginning at 12:30 p.m., Saturday with the platform competition.
Despite not having their swimming counterparts, the Cougar divers stood in 11th place with 40 points in the team standings at the Texas Invitational.
Houston Swimming and Diving Sweeps FIU and Indian River CC
MIAMI, Fla. (November 3, 2007) The University of Houston swimming and diving team wrapped up its road trip through Florida in impressive fashion Saturday with a sweep of host Florida International and Indian River Community College at the Miami Shores Pool.
The Cougars claimed a 151-90 win over Florida International and enjoyed a 136-107 victory over Indian River CC. It was the Cougars’ second win over the Golden Panthers during an eight-day stretch.
UH won five of the 10 individual swimming events, one relay event and swept the Top Three places in both diving events to improve to 5-3 this season.
The Cougars’ 200-yard medley relay team of sophomore Jessica Shamburger, junior Doreen Polotzek, freshman Andrea Kells and junior Sasha Schwendenwein started the day in impressive fashion with a first-place finish after a clocking of 1:53.46.
Freshman diver Courtney Forcucci helped lead the Cougars to a sweep of the Top Three places in both events. The Fort Mill, S.C., native won the 1-meter competition with 267.90 points and recorded 301.20 points to win the 3-meter event.
She was the only diver in either event to crack 300 points. It was the second straight meet that Forcucci reached that milestone after leading the Cougars in a dual-meet loss at Miami (Fla.) on Friday afternoon.
Junior Andrea Pa’lmai won the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:57.10 and added a similar finish in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:13.72.
Schwendenwein finished first in the 200-yard individual medley after posting a time of 2:09.16. The Randburg, South Africa, native also claimed first place in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 58.41.
It was the second straight meet that Pa’lmai and Schwendenwein won multiple events during a dual meet.
Shamburger, the 2007 C-USA Freshman Swimmer of the Year, won the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:01.51.
Senior captain Ginni van Katwijk, the 2007 Conference USA Co-Newcomer of the Year, and freshman Lacey Truelove finished 2-3 in both events to help lead the divers.
The Cougars will take a couple of weeks off before the divers return to play host to the Houston Diving Invitational Nov. 15-17 at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium. The swimmers compete again on Nov. 29-Dec. 1 when they travel to Ohio for the Miami (Ohio) Invitational.
The Cougars claimed a 151-90 win over Florida International and enjoyed a 136-107 victory over Indian River CC. It was the Cougars’ second win over the Golden Panthers during an eight-day stretch.
UH won five of the 10 individual swimming events, one relay event and swept the Top Three places in both diving events to improve to 5-3 this season.
The Cougars’ 200-yard medley relay team of sophomore Jessica Shamburger, junior Doreen Polotzek, freshman Andrea Kells and junior Sasha Schwendenwein started the day in impressive fashion with a first-place finish after a clocking of 1:53.46.
Freshman diver Courtney Forcucci helped lead the Cougars to a sweep of the Top Three places in both events. The Fort Mill, S.C., native won the 1-meter competition with 267.90 points and recorded 301.20 points to win the 3-meter event.
She was the only diver in either event to crack 300 points. It was the second straight meet that Forcucci reached that milestone after leading the Cougars in a dual-meet loss at Miami (Fla.) on Friday afternoon.
Junior Andrea Pa’lmai won the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:57.10 and added a similar finish in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:13.72.
Schwendenwein finished first in the 200-yard individual medley after posting a time of 2:09.16. The Randburg, South Africa, native also claimed first place in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 58.41.
It was the second straight meet that Pa’lmai and Schwendenwein won multiple events during a dual meet.
Shamburger, the 2007 C-USA Freshman Swimmer of the Year, won the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:01.51.
Senior captain Ginni van Katwijk, the 2007 Conference USA Co-Newcomer of the Year, and freshman Lacey Truelove finished 2-3 in both events to help lead the divers.
The Cougars will take a couple of weeks off before the divers return to play host to the Houston Diving Invitational Nov. 15-17 at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium. The swimmers compete again on Nov. 29-Dec. 1 when they travel to Ohio for the Miami (Ohio) Invitational.
Pa'lmai, Schwendenwein Lead Houston Swimming and Diving at Miami (Fla.)
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (November 2, 2007) Junior swimmers Andrea Pa'lmai and Sasha Schwendenwein each recorded first-place finishes in a pair of events, but it would not be quite enough as the University of Houston swimming and diving team dropped a 179-101 decision to Miami (Fla.) on Friday at the Norman Witten Student Union Pool.
With the loss, the Cougars saw their overall record fall to 3-3.
Schwendenwein captured top honors in the 200-yard freestyle after posting a time of 1:52.82 and finished first in the 500-yard freestyle with a clocking of 5:02.39 to finish nearly five seconds ahead of her closest competitor.
The Randburg, South Africa, native also finished second in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 58.77
Pa¹lmai won the 1,000-yard freestyle competition with a clocking of 10:16.68 to finish more than 10 seconds ahead of her closest competitor. She added a similar finish in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:06.26.
The Budapest, Hungary native also finished second in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:09.25.
On the diving side, freshman Courtney Forcucci recorded 301.73 points to win the 3-meter springboard. The Fort Mill, S.C., native was the only diver to crack 300 points in either event.
Senior captain Ginni van Katwijk recorded 261.53 points to finish second on the 1-meter springboard, less than three points behind the Hurricanes¹ Brittany Viola.
The Cougars continue their road trip through the Sunshine State on Saturday. UH squares off against Florida International and Indian River Community College in a tri-meet at 10 a.m., Saturday at the Miami Shores Pool.
With the loss, the Cougars saw their overall record fall to 3-3.
Schwendenwein captured top honors in the 200-yard freestyle after posting a time of 1:52.82 and finished first in the 500-yard freestyle with a clocking of 5:02.39 to finish nearly five seconds ahead of her closest competitor.
The Randburg, South Africa, native also finished second in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 58.77
Pa¹lmai won the 1,000-yard freestyle competition with a clocking of 10:16.68 to finish more than 10 seconds ahead of her closest competitor. She added a similar finish in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:06.26.
The Budapest, Hungary native also finished second in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:09.25.
On the diving side, freshman Courtney Forcucci recorded 301.73 points to win the 3-meter springboard. The Fort Mill, S.C., native was the only diver to crack 300 points in either event.
Senior captain Ginni van Katwijk recorded 261.53 points to finish second on the 1-meter springboard, less than three points behind the Hurricanes¹ Brittany Viola.
The Cougars continue their road trip through the Sunshine State on Saturday. UH squares off against Florida International and Indian River Community College in a tri-meet at 10 a.m., Saturday at the Miami Shores Pool.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Results from Day 2 of Phill Hansel Duals Weekend
By Robert H. Kelly
Below is the link to the official results from day two of competition at the Univeristy of Houston Swimming and Diving Phill Hansel Duals Weekend.
Click here to view the results.
Below is the link to the official results from day two of competition at the Univeristy of Houston Swimming and Diving Phill Hansel Duals Weekend.
Click here to view the results.
Houston Swimmers/Divers Post 2-2 Record at Phill Hansel Duals Weekend
(HOUSTON, TEXAS, October 27, 2007) University of Houston junior Andrea Pa'lmai won the 200-yard backstroke and finished second in the 400-yard individual medley to help lead the Cougar Swimming and Diving Team to a 2-2 split during the final day of the Phill Hansel Duals Weekend at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium.
The Cougars enjoyed a 237-114 win over Florida International and upended New Orleans 244-101 while losing 247-106 to Brigham Young University and 214-133 to cross-town and Conference USA rival Rice. With the split, the Cougars stand at 3-2 overall in dual meets.
BYU was the big team winner of the week, winning all four of its dual matches. Rice finished second with a 3-1 mark followed by the Cougars. New Orleans went 1-3, and Florida International dropped all four of its matches during the two-day meet.
Pa'lmai captured top honors in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:04.20. The Budapest, Hungary native also finished second in the 400-yard individual medley with a clocking of 4:29.74.
A day after provisionally qualifying for the 2008 NCAA Championship in the 200-yard freestyle, junior Sasha Schwendenwein finished second in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:55.91.
The Cougar divers, competing in their first meet of the season, finished 2-3-4. Freshman Courtney Forcucci tallied 265.45 points to finish second. Senior captain Ginni van Katwijk, winner of the 1-meter competition Friday, finished third with 249.50 points, while freshman Lacey Truelove placed fourth with 241.70 points.
The meet is named after longtime Swimming and Diving head coach Phill Hansel, who led the program from 1975 to 1996, earning 70 dual-meet victories and three Southwest Conference Coach of the Year honors.
The Cougars return to action next weekend when they hit the road for a weekend trip to Florida. UH opens its trip at 4 p.m., Friday when it faces Miami (Fla.) before facing Florida International and Indian River Community College at 11 a.m., Saturday.
The Cougars enjoyed a 237-114 win over Florida International and upended New Orleans 244-101 while losing 247-106 to Brigham Young University and 214-133 to cross-town and Conference USA rival Rice. With the split, the Cougars stand at 3-2 overall in dual meets.
BYU was the big team winner of the week, winning all four of its dual matches. Rice finished second with a 3-1 mark followed by the Cougars. New Orleans went 1-3, and Florida International dropped all four of its matches during the two-day meet.
Pa'lmai captured top honors in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:04.20. The Budapest, Hungary native also finished second in the 400-yard individual medley with a clocking of 4:29.74.
A day after provisionally qualifying for the 2008 NCAA Championship in the 200-yard freestyle, junior Sasha Schwendenwein finished second in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:55.91.
The Cougar divers, competing in their first meet of the season, finished 2-3-4. Freshman Courtney Forcucci tallied 265.45 points to finish second. Senior captain Ginni van Katwijk, winner of the 1-meter competition Friday, finished third with 249.50 points, while freshman Lacey Truelove placed fourth with 241.70 points.
The meet is named after longtime Swimming and Diving head coach Phill Hansel, who led the program from 1975 to 1996, earning 70 dual-meet victories and three Southwest Conference Coach of the Year honors.
The Cougars return to action next weekend when they hit the road for a weekend trip to Florida. UH opens its trip at 4 p.m., Friday when it faces Miami (Fla.) before facing Florida International and Indian River Community College at 11 a.m., Saturday.
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