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University of Houston Athletics
Swimming and Diving Plays Host to Phill Hansel Duals Weekend
11/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Nov. 2, 2006
HOUSTON - The University of Houston Swimming and Diving team returns to action this weekend as it plays host to the Phill Hansel Duals Weekend at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium.
The Cougar will square off against Conference USA rival Rice, Nevada, New Orleans, Trinity and Mesa State in a 19-event, two-day meet. All six teams will compete against one another in dual-meet scoring with the final scores coming after the final event Saturday afternoon.
Friday's competition is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m., Friday with the 200-yard medley relay, 1,000-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, 100-yard backstroke, 200-yard breaststroke, 3-meter diving, 50-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley and the 400-yard freestyle relay on tap.
Saturday's action starts at 10 a.m. with the 400-yard medley relay, 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard butterfly, 200-yard backstroke, 1-meter diving, 100-yard breaststroke, 100-yard freestyle, 400-yard individual medley and 200-yard freestyle relay.
All Cougar regular-season swimming and diving meets are free and open to the public, which is invited to attend.
The Cougars come into the meet after dropping a pair of close decisions to No. 8 SMU and No. 25 Oregon State last weekend at the CRWC Natatorium. Although UH saw its five-meet winning streak to open the season snapped, the Cougars lost to a pair of nationally ranked foes by a combined 22 points.
Senior swimming captain Szintia Szanto, who was named Conference USA's first Swimmer of the Week this season on Oct. 17, leads the Cougars with season-best times in the 200-yard butterfly, 100- and 200-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard individual medley.
Sophomore Anastasia Pozdniakova, the reigning C-USA Freshman Diver of the Year, was honored Tuesday as the league's Diver of the Week and has posted season-best scores on both the 1- and 3-meter springboards.
Sophomore Sasha Schwendenwein also has been a steady performer with season-best times in the 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle events and the 100-yard butterfly.
This weekend's meet is named in honor of former UH swimming and diving head coach Phill Hansel. Hansel, considered the Father of Cougar Swimming and Diving, led the Cougars from 1975 to 1996, racking up 70 dual-meet victories, a school record that still stands.
Hansel, a 1949 graduate of Purdue, was named the Southwest Conference Coach of the Year three times during his tenure, and mentored 31 swimmers to All-America honors, including Diane Johannigman, the first NCAA swimming national champion in UH history.
Hansel also had an impressive resume at the international level, serving as the manager of the 1992 U.S. Olympics teams and working with the Singapore teams at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics.
Players Mentioned
