Nov. 15, 2000
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TIGER MEN BACK IN ACTION IN THE WINDY CITY
The Missouri men will travel to Evanston, Ill. this week for the three-day Northwestern Invitational. The four-team meet will include Missouri, South Carolina, Southern Illinois and Northwestern. The meet will run Friday through Sunday.
"This should be a real fun meet," said Head Coach Brian Hoffer. "Our guys are ready to get back into the competitive mode after being off for a week."
The Tigers last competed on Nov. 4 when they defeated Kansas, 118-91.
TIGER CAPTAIN OUT OF ACTION
A stroke of bad luck hit the men's team last week when senior captain Aaron Lo came down with mononucleosis. Lo is out indefinitely.
"Aaron is the one guy we couldn't afford to lose," said Hoffer. "He means so much to us in the sprint free events and especially the relays. We're going to need some other guys to step up in other events."
Lo is one of the top swimmers in the history of the Missouri program. He is on MU's all-time top-five list in four individual events and three relays.
WOMEN IN TRAINING FOR DEC. 1 ARKANSAS INVITE
The Missouri women will be out of competition until Dec. 1 when they travel to Fayetteville, Ark. for the Arkansas Invite. The women were in action for the fourth consecutive week last weekend in Houston, Texas at the Rice Invitational. The Tigers finished in sixth place out six teams. Among those teams were second-ranked California, 14th-ranked Michigan and 22nd-ranked Penn State. Illinois and the host school, Rice, were also among the competing schools.
"We were definitely a tired team," said Hoffer. "After the emotional win the week before against Kansas and a tough week of practice, we just didn't have that extra kick that we needed. It happens."
Senior Jeanna Willi highlighted the Tigers with a second place finish in the 50 freestyle. Fellow senior Kim Lambert finished in fourth place in the 100 freestyle.
HOFFER EYES JANUARY 13
With two victories against the Kansas Jayhawks, Head Coach Brian Hoffer now has 98 career victories in his ninth year at the University of Missouri. Hoffer will have to wait until Jan. 13 to have a chance at his 100th career win. That's when the Tigers will swim their next dual meet. It will be a double-dual that afternoon in Kirksville, Mo. when they take on Truman State and Northern Iowa.
With the men's victory over Kansas, Hoffer's career coaching record with the men's team is now 42-43. A win over Truman State or Northern Iowa will either put the men at .500 or above .500 overall for the first time in Hoffer's tenure.
FERRARELLI, MICLAUS HOPE TO KEEP THINGS ROLLING
Sophomores Matt Ferrarelli and Radu Miclaus are off to a great start in the 2000-01 season. Both swimmers are undefeated so far this season in individual events.
Ferrarelli is six-of-six after winning three events in both the Missouri-Rolla and Kansas meets. The Retford Notts, England native has claimed victories in the 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, 200 breaststroke and 200 individual medley.
Miclaus also pulled off the hat-trick against Kansas two weeks ago. He won the 100 and 200 butterfly as well as the 200 backstroke. His time in the 200 fly of 1:49.65 was a new MU Natatorium record.
DYNAMIC DUO
Missouri Diving Coach Greg Triefenbach has just two men's divers to work with this season. Sophomores Jamie Sweeney and Jason Otte are Triefenbach's dynamic duo and both came up big against Kansas.
Otte got things rolling on the 3-meter board and ended up claiming his first career victory with a score of 270.30. Sweeney placed a close second with 268.05 points.
Sweeney downed the field on the 1-meter board with a winning score of 272.70. Otte finished ahead of three Kansas competitors for second place (257.63).
CERVENKA HAS HIS EYES SET ON GRAND FINALE
Senior Mike Cervenka is set for a great senior campaign. After a summer of hard training and a trip to the U.S. Olympic Trials, the Plymouth, Minn. native is on track for a memorable season.
Cervenka's times are already ahead of last year at this time. He won the 200 freestyle in a time of 1:44.21 against Missouri-Rolla and improved that time to 1:42.30 in his victory against Kansas.
Cervenka is also looking to help the Tigers in the 200 individual medley, a new event for him this season. He will also be a key component on several of the Missouri relays.
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 two dual wins away from giving Hoffer 100 victories for his career. His overall record stands at 98-79 (56-36 women, 42-43 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. The rest of the contributors are all underclassmen. Twelve 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.
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. She has won three of the four individual events she has raced so far this season.
WANNER OVERCOMES ILLNESS TO ACHIEVE FEAT
Just two weeks before, 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.