Saturday, October 21
O' Fallon, Il.
12 p.m.
Southern Illinois University
vs
McKendree, Truman State
Salukis to compete in first tri-meet of 2017
10/20/2017 | 9:56:00 | Swimming & Diving
Southern will take on McKendree and Truman State in the meet
The Saluki men's and women's diving team will travel to O'Fallon Illinois for this first tri-meet of the year against McKendree and Truman State on Saturday.
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The Salukis are enjoying a nice start to the season. In two dual meets, Southern's men and women have both won one. The Salukis have eight times in the top-25 nationally including Bryn Handley's 1,000-yard freestyle time of 10:05.95, which is 23rd in the nation and the men's 400-yard relay team of Alex Crawford, Sam Drew, Reilly Garman and Matt Ciezczak are the 25th fastest in the nation.
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When it comes to conference ranking, Southern has 12 times that rank inside the top-five in races that will be featured at the MVC and MAC Championships in February and March. Handley leads the Missouri Valley in 500 and 1,000-yard freestyle times, while sophomore diver, Eli Mercado, recorded the best one-meter dive score in the MAC with a 290.17 against Evansville.
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The Salukis have been improving their times and fitness all year and head coach Rick Walker said the team is in the best shape of the season heading into the tri-meet.
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"A tri-meet can make you go cross-eyed if you're not careful," Walker said. "You've got to take a look at the stronger of the two teams and focus there. If you try to focus on more than that, it can get you cross-eyed. We have to be careful with our lineup and swim fast in the events."
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On the men's side, the team stands to gain a boost in the form of senior captain, Michael Wolfe, who has been rehabbing an injury throughout the start of the season. Saturday's tri-meet will be the first time all season that Wolfe has had the opportunity to swim competitively, but he will be limited.
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When it comes to this weekend's opposition, the Salukis will get to face off against a former graduate assistant coach in Jimmy Tierney. Tierney coached the Salukis in 1987 and 88 helping the women's team to the 1987 Conference Championship before leaving to take an assistant coach position at Northwestern. Tierney eventually took over the head coach role at Northwestern in 1994 and remained in the position for 21 years. The Salukis have faced off with McKendree once when the men's team defeated the Bearcats in 2017.
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As for the Truman State Bulldogs, the women's and men's teams are both 2-1 with losses to Lindenwood who SIU faced earlier this year. Truman's men's team reached the Division II NCAA Championships last season and finished 28th at the meet. CollegeSwimming.com currently has the men's and women's teams ranked 18th and 19th in Division II respectively. This will be the first meeting between the Salukis and the Bulldogs.
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"This isn't going to be a blow off for us, that's for sure," Walker said. "It gives us a chance to get everyone in the pool against two good programs. McKendree is building a good program and Truman State is continually at the top."
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The meet is scheduled for noon at the livestream McKendree Metro Rec Plex in O'Fallon. A livestream of the meet will be available through the Great Lakes Valley Conference Sports Network.
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The Salukis are enjoying a nice start to the season. In two dual meets, Southern's men and women have both won one. The Salukis have eight times in the top-25 nationally including Bryn Handley's 1,000-yard freestyle time of 10:05.95, which is 23rd in the nation and the men's 400-yard relay team of Alex Crawford, Sam Drew, Reilly Garman and Matt Ciezczak are the 25th fastest in the nation.
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When it comes to conference ranking, Southern has 12 times that rank inside the top-five in races that will be featured at the MVC and MAC Championships in February and March. Handley leads the Missouri Valley in 500 and 1,000-yard freestyle times, while sophomore diver, Eli Mercado, recorded the best one-meter dive score in the MAC with a 290.17 against Evansville.
Â
The Salukis have been improving their times and fitness all year and head coach Rick Walker said the team is in the best shape of the season heading into the tri-meet.
Â
"A tri-meet can make you go cross-eyed if you're not careful," Walker said. "You've got to take a look at the stronger of the two teams and focus there. If you try to focus on more than that, it can get you cross-eyed. We have to be careful with our lineup and swim fast in the events."
Â
On the men's side, the team stands to gain a boost in the form of senior captain, Michael Wolfe, who has been rehabbing an injury throughout the start of the season. Saturday's tri-meet will be the first time all season that Wolfe has had the opportunity to swim competitively, but he will be limited.
Â
When it comes to this weekend's opposition, the Salukis will get to face off against a former graduate assistant coach in Jimmy Tierney. Tierney coached the Salukis in 1987 and 88 helping the women's team to the 1987 Conference Championship before leaving to take an assistant coach position at Northwestern. Tierney eventually took over the head coach role at Northwestern in 1994 and remained in the position for 21 years. The Salukis have faced off with McKendree once when the men's team defeated the Bearcats in 2017.
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As for the Truman State Bulldogs, the women's and men's teams are both 2-1 with losses to Lindenwood who SIU faced earlier this year. Truman's men's team reached the Division II NCAA Championships last season and finished 28th at the meet. CollegeSwimming.com currently has the men's and women's teams ranked 18th and 19th in Division II respectively. This will be the first meeting between the Salukis and the Bulldogs.
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"This isn't going to be a blow off for us, that's for sure," Walker said. "It gives us a chance to get everyone in the pool against two good programs. McKendree is building a good program and Truman State is continually at the top."
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The meet is scheduled for noon at the livestream McKendree Metro Rec Plex in O'Fallon. A livestream of the meet will be available through the Great Lakes Valley Conference Sports Network.
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Players Mentioned
Freestyle
/ Swimming & Diving
Back/Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Freestyle
/ Swimming & Diving
Freestyle
/ Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
Freestyle
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