Women's Swimming and Diving Starts Off Season At Home
10/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Swimming and Diving
Oct. 19, 2006
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State women's swimming and diving team will begin the season, facing Akron on Friday, Oct. 20 at 5 p.m. and Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 1 p.m. Both meets will be held at the IM West Building. MSU went 4-5 in the 2005-06 regular season, improving from its 1-8 mark in the 2004-05 season.
The Spartan Squad
Michigan State returns 18 letterwinners and welcomes 15 freshmen for the 2006-07 season. The veteran group includes five divers who qualified for the 2006 NCAA Regional meet, and swimmer, Heather Kiluk, who currently holds the MSU record for the 400 IM. A group of nine seniors will lead the Michigan State women; divers Katie Edwards and Amy Schmidt, along with swimmers Lindsay Bocksteigal, Eve Brusie, Dani Sawyer, Allison Sayers, Amber Schroeder, Megan Reponen and Carly Zenk.
A Look At The Competition
Akron comes to East Lansing for the first-ever meeting between the two schools, after finishing 5-7-1 last season. Nittaya Kim begins her first season at the head of the Zips program with a roster which includes 16 letterwinners. Also back for Akron are 2006 MAC Champions, swimmer Danielle Beland and diver Katie Carter.
The Fighting Illini will face Oakland on Friday, before traveling to face Michigan State on Saturday. Illinois was 5-11 last season, with a 9th-place finish at the Big Ten Championships, under head coach Sue Novitsky. The team will be led by eight seniors, including 2006 Big Ten Champion Barbie Viney, who took first in the 100 free with a time of 49.12. Viney went on to break school records in the 50 free and 100 free at the ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships.
Players Mentioned
