Nov. 29, 2000
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TIGERS RETURN TO ACTION THIS WEEKEND AT THE ARKANSAS INVITE
The Missouri men's and women's swimming and diving teams return to action this weekend in Fayetteville, Ark. at the Arkansas Invite. The Tiger women will be one of eight teams competing (Arkansas, Drury, TCU, NE Louisiana, Houston, Colorado State and New Mexico) against one another while the men will take on three opponents (Drury, TCU and NE Louisiana).
The women last competed back on Nov. 10 and 11th at the Rice Invite where the Tigers finished sixth of six very talented teams, including nationally-ranked Penn State, Michigan and California. The men were last in action two weeks ago at the Northwestern Invite where they placed fourth.
TIGER CAPTAIN OUT OF ACTION
A stroke of bad luck has hit the men's team the last few weeks. The Tigers have been without senior captain Aaron Lo for the past three weeks with mononucleosis. Head Coach Brian Hoffer believes that Lo alone is worth some 50 team points.
"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.
Lo is expected to get back in the water this week and is questionable for the weekend at Arkansas.
Also questionable for the weekend is Mizzou's top diver, sophomore Jamie Sweeney, who suffered a shoulder injury at the Northwestern Invite. Sweeney, who qualified for the NCAA Zone Diving Meet at the Northwestern Invite, is also expected back in the water this week.
MIZZOU WOMEN HUNGRY FOR COMPETITION
The Missouri women have not competed since the second week of November. The Tigers finished sixth overall at the Rice Invitational that weekend. Granted, Mizzou was facing five of the upper echelon teams in the country, but the sixth place finish still left a bad taste in their mouths.
"The women really want to do well this weekend for themselves," said Hoffer of this weekend's Arkansas Invite. "We were a tired a team at Rice, especially after an emotional win the week before against Kansas. I think these ladies feel like they have something to prove."
NATIONALLY-RANKED TIGERS
The Missouri Tigers are ranked in the nation's top-25 in six events according to this weeks' College Quick 25 put out by Taper and Shave Magazine.
Sophomore Matt Ferrarelli is ranked 13th in the country in the 400 individual medley. Ferrarelli posted a time of 3:57.50 at the Northwestern Invite. He is also ranked 19th in the 200 IM with a time of 1:51.88.
Fellow sophomore Radu Miclaus owns the 18th fastest time in the country this season in the 200 butterfly. That time is 1:49.65.
On the women's side, three of Mizzou's five relay teams appear in the nation's top-25 this week. The Tigers are ranked 19th in the 200 freestyle relay. The team of Jeanna Willi, Ellen Cross, Andrea Nigh and Kim Lambert posted a time of 1:36.19 in Missouri's win over Kansas on Nov. 4.
At the same meet, the team of Sarah Lo, Leslie Hoh, Willi and Cross won the 200 medley relay in a time of 1:46.71. That time is currently ranked No. 20 in the nation.
The Tigers also own the 23rd top time in the country in the 800 freestyle relay. The team of Lizza Igoe, Molly Vetter, Ellen Cross and Katy Chandler put up a time of 7:43.28 at the Big 12 Relay Meet in Lawrence, Kan. back on Oct. 27
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.
SWEENEY QUALIFIES FOR NCAA ZONE MEET
Sophomore Jamie Sweeney knows that he will have a shot at competing for a birth to the NCAA Championships. The Eureka, Mo. native placed third on the three-meter diving board at the Northwestern Invite. His score was 485.65 which qualifes him for the NCAA Zone Diving Meet in Austin, Texas March 8-10.
Sweeney qualified for the Zone Meet last season and placed 14th on the one-meter board, 17th on the three-meter and 7th on the platform.
FRESHMAN STANDING TALL
In the absense of senior captain Aaron Lo, freshman Tyler Belanger has stepped in and done an admirable job of filling in. The Zion, Ill. native scored in two events at the Northwestern Invite and has anchored three of the Tigers relay teams.
Belanger reached the finals in the 100 freestyle at Northwestern and finished seventh with a time of 47.32, his top time of the season. He also scored in the 100 butterfly, an event he was swimming for the first time as a college swimmer. Belanger went from 15th in the prelims to 12th in the finals with a time of 53.44.
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.
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.