Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Swim and Dive announces 2019-20 schedule
08/26/2019 | 3:24:00 | Swimming & Diving
CARBONDALE, Ill. — First-year head coach Geoff Hanson has announced the 2019-2020 schedule for the Southern Illinois swimming and diving program. SIU will host seven home meets at Shea Natatorium including the 2020 Mid-American Conference Championships.
"I am very much looking forward to getting into our competition season starting in October," Hanson said. "We've got a lot of work to do to be ready over the next several weeks, but I fully expect that we'll take advantage of all of our competition opportunities throughout the season and be as prepared as possible for the MVC and MAC Championships in the spring."
Swim action will begin with a pair of preseason events in September. SIU will host its annual alumni meet during family weekend on Sept. 14 (More Information) and its intrasquad meet on Sept. 28.
The official season will kick off on Oct. 4 in an away dual meet at McKendree and continue with a home tri-meet against Valparaiso and Bellarmine on Oct. 11. The women's team will travel north to Champaign, Ill. the following weekend (Oct. 17) to face-off against Illinois and Illinois State.
The fall portion of the season will conclude back home in Carbondale, as Southern will host the SIU Invitational from Nov. 14-16.
The Salukis begin the second half of their season with three January dual meets. SIU opens at Little Rock (Jan. 18), continues in a women's only meet versus Indiana State (Jan. 25) and then heads back on the road to Missouri on Jan. 31.
A home dual meet against Evansville on Feb. 1 will mark the end of the regular season. The Saluki senior class will be recognized at the conclusion of the meet.
"Facing Big Ten and SEC opponents Illinois and Missouri during the season will test us, but also push us to compete at the highest levels and that's the reason I came to SIU," Hanson said. "Additionally, our mid-season SIU Invitational will be a great indicator of what progress is being made and what adjustments need to happen going into the second half of the season."
The Salukis' postseason push will begin for the women's team at the Missouri Valley Conference Championships from Feb. 19-22 in Columbia, Mo. Missouri State will host the meet. For the men, SIU will host the MAC Championships from Mar. 4-7 inside Shea Natatorium. It will be the second time in the last four years that the Salukis have hosted the championship event.
"We are very excited to be hosting the men's MAC Championships in March for the first time since 2017," Hanson said. "Having the home-pool advantage will definitely be a boost for our men's team."
For the latest updates on the Saluki swimming and diving program, follow the team on Twitter @SIU_SwimDive, on Instagram @SIUSwimAndDive and on Facebook at Saluki Swimming and Diving.
