Houston Swimming and Diving Plays Host to Rice and LSU This Weekend

HOUSTON, TEXAS (January 24, 2008) ­The University of Houston swimming and diving team competes in Houston for the first time in three months this weekend when it plays host to LSU and Conference USA rival Rice in a two-day tri-meet at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium.

The meet begins at 5 p.m., Friday with the 200-yard medley relay, 1,000-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, 100-yard backstroke, 200-yard breaststroke, 200-yard freestyle, 3-meter diving, 50-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley and 400-yard freestyle relay.

The meet wraps up at 11:30 a.m., Saturday with the 400-yard medley relay, 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard butterfly, 200-yard backstroke, 100-yard breaststroke, 1-meter diving, 100-yard freestyle, 400-yard individual medley and 200-yard freestyle relay.

Fans should note that Saturday's starting time recently was changed from earlier published schedules.

All UH swimming and diving meet are free and open to the public, which is invited to attend.

Although the Cougar divers competed at their own Houston Invitational on Nov. 15-17, this will be the first time that the swimmers and divers have performed together since Oct. 26-27 at the Phill Hansel Duals Weekend.

The Cougars (8-5) come into the meet after dropping a pair of dual meets last weekend in north Texas. UH looks to return to its winning ways after falling 133-110 at North Texas and 140-91 at No. 12 SMU.

This season, junior Sasha Schwendenwein has emerged as one of the team's steadiest performers. The Randburg, South Africa, native has posted the Cougars' best times in the 50-, 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle events.

Fellow junior Andrea Pa'lmai tops all UH swimmers in the 1,000- and 1,650-yard freestyle events as well as the 200-yard backstroke and the 100-and 200-yard breaststroke events.

Freshman Andrea Kells, competing in her first collegiate season, leads the Cougars in both the 100- and 200-yard butterfly events.

On the diving side, senior captain Ginni van Katwijk had led the Cougars on the 1-meter springboard and platform and comes into this weekend's meet as the defending C-USA Diver of the Week.

The Grootebroek, Netherlands, native won both diving events and helped lead the Cougars to a sweep of the Top Three places at North Texas last weekend

Freshmen Courtney Forcucci and Lacey Truelove also have been consistent performers in all three diving events this season and are scheduled to be in action this weekend.