Swimming & Diving Opens Season Friday vs. Texas
10/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Oct. 14, 2004
HOUSTON - After nearly a month of workouts, the University of Houston swimming and diving team opens its 2004-05 season at 5 p.m., Friday, when it plays host to Texas at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium.
The meet is free and open to the public, which is invited to attend.
Under the leadership of head coach Mark Taylor and diving head coach Jane Figueiredo, the Cougars have been working out regularly since Sept. 20. UH held its annual Red-White meet on Oct. 6 in preparations for Friday's season opener, but this weekend's competition will be the first of the year against another school.
The meet marks the beginning of a busy weekend for a Cougars, who continue their home schedule at noon, Saturday, when they play host to crosstown rival Rice at the CRWC Natatorium.
UH enters Friday as winners of each of its last two season-opening meets. The Cougars posted wins over North Texas in their first meets during each of the last two seasons and did so handily, winning by more than 60 points per meet against the Mean Green.
Fifteen letterwinners return from the 2003-04 Cougar squad, which posted a UH single-season record nine dual meet victories and finished 22nd nationally at the NCAA Championships. In addition, the Cougars' third-place showing at the Conference USA Championships was the best finish by a UH team since the 1985-86 team finished third at the Southwest Conference Championship.
In addition, two Cougars - divers Anna Kiess and Azul Almazan - competed at the NCAA Championships in 2004, with Almazan competing at the nation's top collegiate meet for the second consecutive season.
Earlier, the Cougars named their 2004-05 team captains with senior swimmers Kristin Bay and Meagan Wien and Almazan earning the honors in voting done by their teammates.
All three captains will be counted on to lead the 2004-05 Cougar squad as well as sophomore Szintia Szanto. A year ago, Szanto posted some of the school's fastest times in four different events and is expected to contend for a place in the NCAA Championships in 2005.
Texas comes into the meet after finishing eighth at the 2004 NCAA Championships. The Longhorns also have won all 20 dual meets against the Cougars, dating back to the 1978-79 season according to UH records.
Players Mentioned
