Salukis face Olympians, National Champions at Purdue Invite

Saluki swimming and Diving is heading to West Lafayette, Indiana for three days of competition starting on Thursday at the Purdue Invite.

The Salukis will be tested by nationally ranked completion and conference rivals. In total, ten universities will send swimmers or divers to the meet. The Salukis will face off against Purdue, Florida, Indiana, Virginia Tech, and Missouri State. Florida International will send its women's team to the competition and Navy is sending its men's team. North Carolina and Indiana State will compete in diving.

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Meet Central

Swimming Salukis

For the Salukis, the men's and women's team are coming off of a meet against Kentucky, Missouri and Northwestern in which the team logged conference-best times as well as victories in two events. For the women, senior Bryn Handley won the 1,000-yard freestyle and sophomore diver Beibei Ji won the women's three-meter dive. Michael Wolfe set a Mid-American Conference season-best time in the 500-yard freestyle in only his second meet of the season.

Nationally-Ranked Salukis

(Top-100 individual times and top-50 relay times)

Men's one-meter dive
- Eli Mercado | 340.27 | 58^th in Division I
Men's three-meter dive
- Eli Mercado | 345.52 | 85^th in Division I
Women's 500-yard freestyle
- Bryn Handley | 4:52.72 | 59^th in Division I
Women's 1,000-yard freestyle
- Bryn Handley | 10:01.77 | 47^th in Division I
Women's one-meter dive
- Beibei Ji | 299.77 | 41^st in Division I
- Baobao Ji | 293.25 | 58^th in Division I
Women's three-meter dive
- Beibei Ji | 315.38 | 59^th in Division I
- Baobao Ji |307.65 | 79^th in Division I

Top Dawgs

(Conference leading times)

Men's 500-yard freestyle
- Michael Wolfe | 4:35.81
Men's one-meter diving
- Eli Mercado | 340.27
Women's 200-yard freestyle
- Bryn Handley | 1:50.94
Women's 500-yard freestyle
- Bryn Handley | 4:52.72
Women's 1,000-yard freestyle
- Bryn Handley | 10:01.77
Women's 200-yard freestyle relay
- Rita Naude, Abbie Young, Chandler Ott, McKenna Avery | 1:36.55
Women's one-meter diving
- Beibei Ji | 299.77

Facing The World's Best

The Purdue Invite features 34 Olympians including five that medaled for the United States at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. Indiana's Lilly King won gold in the 100-meter breaststroke and the 400x100-medley relay. On the men's side Florida's Caeleb Dressel and Indiana's Blake Pieroni won gold in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay. Dressel was also a part of the team that won the 400x100-meter medley relay. In diving, Indiana's Michael Hixon and Purdue's Steele Johnson won silver in synchronized dive events.

Scouting Purdue

The Boilermakers are playing host this week to some of the best swimming programs in the nation and are no slouches themselves. Purdue's women's team is ranked 20^th in the TYR/CSCAA top-25 poll and the men are receiving votes.

For the women, senior Kaersten Meitz leads the Big Ten in the women's 1,000-yard freestyle and is currently fourth in the NCAA in the event. She was an All-American Honorable Mention in the 500-yard freestyle as a junior and sophomore. Meitz has experience on the world stage as well. She competed in the World University Games earlier this year and is a member of the United States National Team.

On the men's side, redshirt junior Steele Johnson leads the NCAA and Big Ten in the three-meter dive and is sixth nationally in the one-meter dive. Johnson won silver at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil in the synchronized 10-meter dive. He is a two-time NCAA Champion in the one-meter dive and is also a national champion in the three-meter and platform dive.

Scouting Florida

The Gators are currently the No. 3 team in the Men's TYR/CSCAA top-25 and are 14^th in the Women's poll.

On the Women's side, freshman Taylor Ault leads the SEC in the 1,000-yard freestyle and is currently fourth in the NCAA.

For the men, the team is led by a group of dominant freestyle swimmers. Senior Caeleb Dressel leads the nation in the 50-yard freestyle and is sixth in the NCAA in the 100-yard butterfly. Dressel helped the United States win gold in the 400x100 meter freestyle and medley relays at the 2016 Olympics. He is also the defending national champion in the 50 and 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly. He has been named an All-American 21 times in his career.

Senior Jan Switkowski currently leads the SEC in the 200-yard freestyle, the 200-yard butterfly and the 200-yard IM and is in the top-10 in the NCAA in all three events. Switkowski is a 14-time All-American and a seven-time SEC Champion. He represented Poland at the 2016 Olympics.

Sophomore Khader Baqlah leads the SEC in the 500-yard freestyle and is eighth in the NCAA. He represented Jordan at the 2016 Olympics.

Scouting Indiana

The Hoosiers are ranked first in the TYR/CSCAA Top-25 on the men's side and are ninth in the women's poll.

The women's team is led by Olympic gold-medalist and FINA World-Champion, junior Lilly King. King leads the NCAA in the 100-yard breaststroke and is third in the NCAA in the 200-yard breaststroke. She is the defending national champion in both events.

On the men's side, the team is led by a host of Olympians and All-Americans. Senior Blake Pieroni leads the nation in the 200-yard freestyle and is first in the Big Ten in the 50 and 100-yard freestyle. He helped the United States to a gold medal in the 4X100 freestyle relay at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Junior Vini Lanza is currently first in the Big Ten in three events, the 100 and 200-yard butterfly and the 200-yard individual medley. He earned five All-American honors at the 2017 NCAA Championships.

Senior diver Michael Hixon is currently fifth in the NCAA in the one-meter dive and first in the Big Ten. Hixon represented the United States at the 2016 Olympics winning a silver medal in the three-meter synchronized springboard dive. Hixon was an All-American in the one and three-meter dives at the NCAA Championships in 2017.

Scouting Virginia Tech

The Hokies are 24^th in the TYR/CSCAA Men's top-25 poll and are receiving votes in the women's poll.

The women's team has talented swimmers in the butterfly and individual medley events. Senior Klaudia Nazieblo is in the top-five in the ACC in both the 100 and 200-yard butterfly. She was an All-American in the 200-yard butterfly in 2016 and has earned All-American Honorable Mention honors four times. In the individual medley events, sophomore Reka Gyorgy is in the top-five in the 200 and 400-IM. Gyorgy was an All-American and the ACC Champion in the 400-yard IM in 2017.

The men are led by senior sprint swimmer Ian Ho who is currently second in the ACC in the 50-yard freestyle.

Scouting Missouri State

The Salukis took on Missouri State on October 7 in Springfield taking losses in the men's and women's side of the meet. Southern won seven events in total against Missouri State.

The women's team is led by senior Sydney Zupan and sophomore Josie Pearson. Zupan is first in the MVC in the 100-yard butterfly and second behind Southern's Bryn Handley in the 200-yard freestyle. Pearson leads the Valley in the 200-yard butterfly and the 100 and 200-yard IM.

For the men, the team is led by junior Artur Osvath. Osvath leads the Mid-American Conference in the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke, the 100 and 200-yard butterfly and the 200-yard IM. Osvath has already recorded NCAA B Cut times in several events this season. He earned All-American Honorable Mention honors in 2017.

Scouting Navy

Navy is sending its men's team to the Purdue Invite.

Navy's men's team is a Patriot League power holding top-times in the majority of the events in the league. The team is led by junior swimmer Brayden Lauffer and sophomore diver Bradley Buchter. Lauffer has been named to the All-Patriot League team for two-straight seasons. Buchter was the 2017 Patriot League Diver of the Year and is currently 38^th in the nation in the one-meter dive and 45^th in the nation in the three-meter dive.

It is worth noting that Navy's seniors will receive their military service assignments on the opening day of the Purdue Invite.

Scouting Florida International

FIU is sending its women's team to the Purdue Invite.

FIU's women's team is coming off a victory over Illinois, a team Southern defeated earlier this year. The defending Conference-USA Champions returned two athletes that qualified for the NCAA Championships in 2017. Senior Letizia Bernelli was the 2017 C-USA Swimmer of the Year and competed in five events at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships. Senior diver Rebecca Quesnel was an All-American for FIU in 2017, taking home a third place finish in the platform dive at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.

Scouting Indiana State

Indiana State is sending two divers, sophomore McKenzie Plummer and senior Laura Fulton to the meet. Fulton is currently 16^th in the Missouri Valley in the one-meter dive and 15^th in the three-meter dive.

Scouting North Carolina

The Tar Heels are sending their divers to the Purdue Invite.

On the women's side, senior Elissa Dawson leads the Tar Heels this season. She holds the school-record in the three-meter dive and was an All-American Honorable Mention in 2016.

For the men, senior diver Sean Burston and freshman Greg Duncan are the top-two Tar Heels at this point of the season. Both rank in the top-five in the ACC in the one and three-meter dives. Burston leads the conference in the three-meter dive and is 15^th in the NCAA with a score of 413.85.

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McKenna Avery

Bryn Handley

Baobao Ji

Beibei Ji

Eli Mercado

Rita Naude

Chandler Ott

Michael Wolfe

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