Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Undefeated Saluki Men's Swim Team at Northwestern Invitational
03/14/2001 | 12:00:00 | Swimming & Diving
November 16, 2000
The Southern Illinois University Carbondale men's swim team is up north this weekend competing in the Northwestern Invitational. The meet starts Friday evening at 6 p.m. and will conclude Sunday afternoon.
SIU is undefeated for the season with wins against Drury College and Evansville in dual meet competition and a sweep of the conference at the MVC Shootout for a 4-0 record in tournament action,
Competing against the Dawgs will be host school Northwestern, South Carolina and Missouri. Northwestern is 2-2 overall with wins against UW-Milwaukee and Indiana and losses to Minnesota and Wisconsin.
"We've got three really big budgeted programs we are going up against this weekend," SIU men's coach Rick Walker said. "Our approach has been and always will be the bigger the better and bring it on. It has never really been for me or our guys about a winning record. It has always been who we are swimming against. I could easily go 10-0 and swim programs I could beat, but what does that prove. Northwestern and South Carolina are ranked and that is who we need to be swimming in order to improve. All three are programs we could go up there and compete really well against."
The Saluki are peaking at the right time for the fall part of the season. Last week against Evansville saw seven events post best times for the season.
Freshman Derek Helvey bested his top time in the 1000 freestyle by over five seconds and posted a season best time in the 200 freestyle. In addition, the 400 free relay team of Chris Papachrysanthou, Jeremiah Cortez, Matt Glowacki and Matt Munz shaved off over six seconds off its best time.
Munz is in mid-season form besting teammate Danila Luna's top time in the 200 backstroke by over six seconds and Corne Prozesky was around four seconds better than Joe Tidwell in the 200 breaststroke.
