Jan. 13, 2006
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Both the Missouri men's and women's swimming and diving teams will see their first competitive action of the New Year this Saturday when they travel to Springfield, Mo., to take on the Missouri State Bears in dual action.
"Missouri State is going to be tough at home," Mizzou head coach Brian Hoffer said. "Their men's program can hang right with us, and they've done a great job developing their women's program. Their women's team hasn't been around that long, but they're one of the most improved teams in the country over the last few years."
The Mizzou men enter the meet with a dual record of 1-0, having beaten Texas A&M, 188-105, on Oct. 15 in their first-ever dual meet in the Mizzou Aquatics Center. The Tiger women are currently 0-2-1, with the tie coming in the MAC's inaugural dual meet - a 121-121 stalemate with national power Texas.
Both squads are coming off of what Hoffer called a productive training trip in Florida over the winter break.
"We did a great job in Florida and we're as fit as we've ever been as a team," he said. "We just need to see how we'll respond when we have to swim tired on Saturday. The upperclassmen know what to do and they'll have to lead the way. Fatigue is going to be a big hurdle this weekend."
Saturday's meet will mark the second time this season that the Tigers and Bears have competed against one another. Missouri State was one of the participants in the Show-Me-Showdown, an invitational of in-state foes that the Tigers hosted as a grand opening of their new facility. Mizzou won the meet on both the men's and women's sides, with the Bears taking second.
"Our men's team has better depth than theirs, so we have an advantage there," Hoffer said. "It'll be hard for us to matchup with (Missouri State senior) Matt Beasley. He's experienced and he's a Missouri native, and the outcome of the meet will depend a lot on how they use him. Every event will be close, but we just have to find a way."
"Their women's team has good depth in the backstroke, so that's a concern for us," he said. "We're also looking at the breaststroke as a key area. We have some strengths and they have some strengths. It's going to be a great meet."
The Mizzou women have never lost to Missouri State, including a 170-73 win in Columbia last year. The Tiger men have taken two of the last three meetings between the two teams, having won last year in Columbia by a score of 156.5-86.5.
A win on the women's side would mark the 98th women's dual win in Hoffer's 14-year tenure.