Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Women's Swimming Heads To Northwestern Invite
11/19/2003 | 12:00:00 | Swimming & Diving
Nov. 19, 2003
By Josh Magill
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The women's swimming and diving team will compete in its final meet prior to the winter break as they travel to the Northwestern Invitational this weekend.
The invitational will be this year's 'shave' meet for the Salukis. Each season, SIU enters a meet where swimmers shave the hair from their bodies to gain that extra edge of speed. Though the shaving does help some, head coach Jeff Goelz says much of the idea is mental.
"It's 98 percent mental," Goelz said. "You feel a bit like a slippery, slimy fish when you first jump in the water. It's exhilarating and makes you feel like you can swim faster."
Along with SIU, the field at the invitational will include Ohio State, Rice and host Northwestern.
"The competition is great," Goelz said. "We'll be in a great situation where there are teams that are bigger. We can go there and our girls can see, 'If I want to be fast, I have to keep up with that girl and that girl.'"
The Northwestern Invitational begins Friday, Nov. 21 and ends Sunday, Nov. 23. The meet is set up in sessions with the preliminary rounds starting in the morning and the finals taking place in the evenings. There will be no diving events at this meet. Results can be found at www.SIUSalukis.com.
Schedule: Morning EveningFriday 11 a.m. 6 p.m.Saturday 10 a.m. 5 p.m.Sunday 9 a.m. 3 p.m.
