Salukis face long-time rival Missouri State on Saturday

The Saluki Swimming and Diving team will head to Springfield, Mo. this weekend to face off against long-time rivals, the Missouri State Bears.

This will be Southern's second weekend in competition this year and third meet. Most recently, the Saluki men's and women's team downed Evansville on the road thanks in part from strong performances from MAC and MVC Diver of the Week and Month winners, Eli Mercado and Baobao Ji.

Long-time Saluki head coach Rick Walker said he likes what he's seen from the team in practice in the early portion of the season.

"The whole team is progressing well. We're putting in better work and challenging them and the team is sustaining themselves very, very well," Walker said. "Right now we're focused on learning how to swim fast while tired and this is an opportunity to do that. I want to find out this weekend how we can swim fast while we travel too. It's not easy driving six hours then getting up early the morning to compete. It's not easy for any team, but we have the experience to do that and do it well."

This weekend the Salukis shift their attention to last year's MVC Champions on the women's side and the runners-up at the MAC Championships on the men's side in Missouri State. This weekend's meet will likely be the Salukis toughest test of the young season. Missouri State was picked first in the MVC and second in the MAC preseason polls.

The Bears are returning 38 swimmers from last year's team including the defending MVC and MAC swimmers of the month and week in Artur Osvath and Sydney Zupan. Both athletes helped their team to a second place finish at last week's Show-Me Showdown in Columbia, Mo.

Walker said he is not concerned with the results of the preseason polls since they're based on last year's results and that in years past Southern has defeated the Bears when they were picked higher. Regardless of preseason polls, Walker said the team is excited for this meet.

"These meets always mean a little more and I would be worried if they didn't," he said. "This is our long-time rival and from our end, it's a rivalry based on respect. They will get pumped up, jacked up a ready to go no matter when we face them and it's the same for us."

The meet begins Saturday in Springfield, Mo. at 11 a.m. Live updates will be available on the Meet Mobile app. For updates regarding the weekend's action as well as all of the updates on Saluki Swimming and Diving, follow the team on Twitter @SIU_SwimDive, on Instagram @SIUSwimDive and on Facebook at Saluki Swimming and Diving.

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Baobao Ji

Eli Mercado

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