Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
McKendree University
Salukis open 2019-20 season at McKendree
10/03/2019 | 3:50:00 | Swimming & Diving
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois swimming and diving program opens the 2019-20 season on Friday, Oct. 4 against McKendree. Both the men's and women's team are set to compete at the road dual meet inside the McKendree Metro Rec Plex. Events will begin at 1 p.m. and a live stream of the meet can be found here.
THOUGHTS FROM COACH HANSON
On training and expectations…
I think it is still early as we are towards the end of our fifth week of full training so far. But we have put an emphasis on aspects that will help us be sharp at this point of the season. We want to win our dual meets. That is a focus for us this year, but not at the expense of our end of season goal. I think some of the detail and technical work will help us be as prepared as we can be five weeks into the season.
On excitement of first meet as head coach…
I am excited to see how we race and how this team competes. I have seen them practice and they have worked really hard. They have competed with one another, but I have yet to see them up against another team. I talked with them a couple days ago and put an emphasis on competition opportunities and racing and diving opportunities. It starts with individuals winning one-on-one battles and the team winning dual meets. If we are going to take our team back to the top of the conference, then we must start learning how to win.
On the talent of McKendree…
I know the McKendree team pretty well. They beat my team (Colorado Mesa) last year at the Division II National Championships by one spot. Coach Tierney (Jimmy Tierney) was at Northwestern while I was in the Big Ten at Wisconsin, so I have known him for close to 20 years. They will be prepared for a good meet and it is always motivating for a Division II team to beat a Division I team. I know that from experience. We will not take them lightly because they are going to give us everything we can handle. No matter what level our opponent is, our goal is to win every dual meet. We are going into each meet with an attitude and mindset that that we are going to win.
SIU-MCKENDREE HISTORY
The Salukis have faced McKendree in dual-meet action the last three seasons. Prior to 2016, the two programs had never met. The SIU men's team holds a 2-1 advantage, while the women's team is 1-1 all-time against the Bearcats.
McKendree managed to defeat Southern on both the men's and women's side in the previous matchup in 2018. Jimmy Dooley and Samantha Parsons swept breast events and SIU's divers swept diving events. Dooley's performance earned him Mid-American Conference Athlete of the Week. Beibei Ji swept the one- and three-meter dives on the women's side. Eli Mercado claimed victory in the one-meter and Kai Hoffmann-Dussome was first in the three-meter for the Saluki men.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
McKendree tallied 29 All-America awards at the 2019 Division II NCAA Championships, where the men's team placed eighth and the women's team placed 40th.
Sophomores Alexander Skinner and Sydney Rey are two key returners for the Bearcats. Skinner earned seven All-American honors at the NCAA Championships and broke the Great Lakes Valley Conference record in the 100-yard freestyle. Rey won three medals in conference-championship action and received two All-American honors at the NCAA Championships.
A NEW ERA BEGINS
Geoff Hanson was named head coach of the Saluki swimming and diving program in late May, taking over for 32-year coaching veteran Rick Walker, who retired at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season. Hanson has over 19 years of collegiate coaching experience. He was an assistant coach at Arizona and Wisconsin and most recently had head coaching stints at Western State Colorado and Colorado Mesa. Hanson has mentored five Olympic finalists and four individual NCAA National Champions since joining the coaching ranks.
RETURNING TALENT
Southern returns a bevy of talent from its 2018-19 squad. Six swimmers and two divers earned 2019 All-MVC honors on the women's side. Senior swimmers Laura Carver, Payton Parman and Parsons have earned all-conference honors two or more times. Deven Speed and Eden Girloanta received All-MVC nods as freshmen last season.
All-MAC second team honorees Tamas Hajtman and Chris Phillips return to the pool for the Saluki men. Hajtman had top-five SIU times in five individual events last season, which included the top marks in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly. Phillips swam the second and fifth-fastest marks in program history in the 200-breast at the 2019 MAC Championships. Several others Salukis placed top-10 at the MAC Championships on the men's side.
DIVING SUCCESS
SIU's top four divers from a year ago return. Beibei and Baobao Ji combined to win 17 events during the 2018-19 season. The Ji twins placed one-two in conference action, with Beibei finishing first in both diving events. They also reached the 300-plateau in both diving events and competed at NCAA Zones.
Hoffmann-Dussome totaled eight diving victories and took third place in the three-meter dive at the MAC Championships. Mercado won two events and was runner-up seven times last season. He had a Saluki-best fourth-place finish in the one-meter dive at the MAC Championships.
PRESEASON COACHES POLL
In the annual preseason coaches polls, SIU was picked to finish second in the MVC and third in the MAC. Missouri State was projected to finish first in both conferences. The men's and women's teams were projected in the same spots in last year's preseason polls as well.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
For the latest updates on the Salukis at McKendree, follow the team on Twitter @SIU_SwimDive, on Instagram @SIUSwimAndDive and on Facebook at Saluki Swimming and Diving.
