Oct. 25, 2000
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
The University of Kansas will host the 2000 Big 12 Relay Meet this Friday afternoon at KU's Robinson Natatorium. The meet begins at 9:00 a.m. with the second session beginning at 1:00 p.m.
The exhibition meet includes all of the Big 12 schools who will see one another later on in the year at the Big 12 Championships in Austin, Texas. Six schools: Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Texas A&M, Iowa State and Nebraska, will compete in 16 relay events.
With the exception of three events (200, 400 and 800 freestyle relay), the relays will all be non-conventional races. Seven of the relays will involve just three swimmers instead of the usual four.
"This is a fun meet for the athletes, but at the same time it gives us an idea as to where we are from a performance stand point against some of the top-ranked teams in the country," said Head Coach Brian Hoffer.
When the preseason polls are released next week, Texas, Texas A&M and Nebraska are all expected to be ranked in the nation's top 25 on the women's side, while Texas, Texas A&M, Nebraska and Iowa State should all appear on the men's top-25 list.
TIGERS OPEN WITH WINS OVER ARKANSAS, ROLLA
Both Missouri's men and women are 1-0 heading into next week's dual meet against the Kansas Jayhawks at the MU Natatorium beginning at 4:00 p.m. The Missouri women defeated the University of Arkansas by a score of 201-99. The men also picked up their first victory by a score of 171-91 over Missouri-Rolla.
The Mizzou women got off to a fast start by taking first, second and third place in the first event of the morning, the 200 medley relay. The Tigers dominated the meet from there. Missouri captured first place in 11 of the 14 individual events and produced eight different winners. Senior Jeanna Willi and sophomores Leslie Hoh and Katy Chandler were double-winners for the Tigers. Sophomore Chrissy Frieh claimed her second first-place finish of her career in the 200 backstroke and freshmen Sarah Lo and Jessica Shaw both claimed their first career victories. Senior Kristy Wanner won the the 3-meter diving event and earned her NCAA Zone qualifying score with a 256.13.
The men's team was led sophomores Matt Ferrarelli and Radu Miclaus. Ferrarelli won three events on the afternoon. He won the 100 and 200 backstroke as well as the 200 individual medley. Ferrarelli's time of 1:50.71 in the 200 backstroke set a new MU Natatorium record.
Miclaus won the 100 and 200 butterfly events. His time of 1:50.93 in the 200 fly was under a second from a pool record. Ferrarelli and Miclaus also teamed up with senior Aaron Lo and freshman Tyler Belanger to win the 200 medley relay.
Also victorious for Tigers were Dane Pedersen in the 1000 freestyle, Mike Cervenka in the 200 freestyle, Aaron Lo in the 100 backstroke and Steven Durley in the 500 freestyle.
HOFFER HAS HIS PROGRAM HITTING 100
The number 100 has become a milestone number for Hoffer's program. Last season, the Mizzou men and women eclipsed the 100-plateau in school records broken in Hoffer's eight seasons. The men and women are just a combined four dual wins away from giving Hoffer 100 victories for his career. His overall record stands at 96-79 (55-36 women, 41-43 men).
The Tigers have also achieved in the classroom under Hoffer. Missouri has had 132 athletes selected to the Academic All-Conference teams over the last eight seasons.
TIGERS ARE A FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
Four seniors, Kim Lambert, Jeanna Willi, Kara Bramer and Kristy Wanner, will play major rolls this season for the Missouri women. All four contributed to last Saturday's win over Arkansas. The rest of the contributors were all underclassmen.
Five of Missouri's first place finishers were sophomores while two others were freshmen. As a matter of fact, 12 of Missouri's 20 swimmers are freshmen or sophomores.
The Mizzou men are in the same boat. Only seven of the Tigers 22 athletes are juniors and seniors. Three sophomores, Matt Ferrarelli, Radu Miclaus and Dane Pedersen, were all winners last week against Missouri-Rolla.
HOW "LO" CAN YOU GO
What is the next best thing to having one of the most competitive athletes your program has ever had? Two of them.
Senior men's captain Aaron Lo is one of Hoffer's most competitive swimmers he has ever coached. He is in Missouri's all-time top five in four different individual events and three different relays. Now Hoffer possesses his sister, Sarah Lo.
The Tigers are expecting big things from the freshman from Whitby, Ontario. Lo has a shot of breaking the Missouri school record in the 100 backstroke this season. She will also be a factor in the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley.
WANNER OVERCOMES ILLNESS TO ACHIEVE FEAT
Just two weeks ago, senior diver Kristy Wanner was in the hospital with a stomach illness. One week later, Wanner was winning the 3-meter diving competition against Arkansas.
Not only did Wanner win the event, she also qualified for the NCAA Zone Diving Meet in Austin, Texas in March. Wanner, who came to Missouri at mid-year last season, qualified for the NCAA Zone Meet late last season. She finaled on both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving boards last year at the Big 12 Championships in College Station, Texas.
GREAT DANE
As a freshman, it took MU distance specialist Dane Pedersen until the fourth meet of the season before he won his first career race. As a matter of fact, his only two dual meet wins were in the 1000 freestyle against Southwest Missouri State and Missouri-Rolla.
Pedersen wasted no time in getting his first win of the 2000-01 campaign under his belt. Last week against Missouri-Rolla, the sophomore edged out teammate Steven Durley for first place in the 1000 freestyle (9:41.54). Pedersen also put on a solid performance in the 200 freestyle, finishing second behind Durley with a time of 4:46.25. The third place finisher was a good two seconds behind Pedersen.