Women Look to Make a Splash at Conference
2/25/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Feb. 25, 2008
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The 22nd-ranked Missouri women's swimming and diving team (13-1, 3-1 Big 12) travels to Austin, Texas, this week for the Big 12 Swimming & Diving Championships. Action at the Longhorns' Jamail Texas Swimming Center is set to begin Wednesday at 6 p.m. with the finals of the 200 medley and 800 free relays. Fans unable to make the trip can catch all the latest action with live results available on mutigers.com.
Last Time Around
The Tigers finished a disappointing fourth at the close of last year's conference meet behind winner Texas A&M, Texas and rival Kansas. The Tigers compiled 419 points, just shy of the 448.5 points tallied by the Jayhawks. The Aggies won the conference title for the first time in history this past year, narrowly edging the runner-up and eight-time defending champ Longhorns by just one point (931-930).
Third Place Is the Charm
The Mizzou women have never finished higher than third at Big 12s. The team has collected a trio of third-place finishes in conference championship history, most recently during the 2005-06 season when they totaled 453 points. The Tigers also earned third-place honors at the 2002 and 2003 conference meets.
In the Rankings
The team heads into Austin riding a No. 22 national ranking, three spots behind 19th-ranked Texas (1-4, 0-1 Big 12). Conference leader Texas A&M (9-1, 3-0) currently sits three points out of the top-five in the sixth spot. Kansas also received votes (13) in the latest College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) poll.
Tigers in 2007-08 Conference Action
The Tigers put together a 3-1 conference record after taking on four of their five conference foes during the dual season. The women suffered a tough loss to now-No. 6 Texas A&M in their conference opener (158-116) on Oct. 20, but bounced right back to defeat rival Kansas, 162-138, a week later for just the second time in program history on the road. The Tigers never looked back, knocking off both Iowa State (174-121) and Nebraska (173-122) in 2008 action. Mizzou did not race Texas this season. In fact, the Tigers have not faced off against the Longhorns in a dual setting since 2005-06, when the two squads recorded a 121-121 tie.
Speaking of Ties
At the close of the dual season the women of Mizzou had compiled a 13-1 record, tying them with the 2002-03 Tiger squad (also 13-1) for the most single-season victories during the 16-year "Hoffer Era." The Tigers' record gives Head Coach Brian Hoffer a 124-51-1 (.707 winning percentage) overall mark at Mizzou and the program's 11th-consecutive winning season.
Bring It On
The Tigers did not earn their 13 wins the easy way this season. The team dropped a dual to national force Texas A&M, but beat now-No. 21 Indiana and No. 24 Virginia Tech handily during the first half of the season. The women also took care of business against Arkansas and Kansas, both vote-getters in the latest top-25 poll.
Riding the Wave
The New Year has treated the women well. The Tigers, undefeated in 2008 action, won a 151-149 nail-biter versus Arkansas, but claimed each of their other five duals by 45 or more points. The team will now carry this momentum into Austin, where they look to better their fourth-place finish from a year ago.
Shaking Things Up
The program's all-time top-10 list has been shaken up 38 times this season. Thus, 38 swimmers and divers have either moved into or up the top-10 standings. Junior Kendra Melnychuk set the school record in all three diving events this season. The Canadian bettered her program record score on the platform at the Purdue Invite and smashed both the 1- and 3-meter records in the Tigers' win against Iowa State in January. No school records have been recorded on the swimming side of things this season, although sophomore Colleen Gordon has moved into second on the all-time list in both the 200 and 1000 free, in addition to already ranking second in the 100 fly and 500 and 1650 free. Junior Erin Yeager moved into second in the 200 breast this season after clocking an impressive 2:16.41 (.38 seconds off school record) in West Lafayette. The Tiger 200 medley relay squad of seniors Taye Patterson and Arica Jacinto and juniors Kayla Bowcutt and Lori Halvorson stands second all-time in the event after an exciting first-place finish at Purdue.
Making the Cut
A slue of Tigers have recorded NCAA "B" cut times this season and more are surely expected at conference this week. "B" standard times are those the NCAA considers when selecting participants for next month's NCAA Championships. Those making the cut in 2007-08 include:
Colleen Gordon: 200 Free (1:49.78 - Nebraska) • 500 Free (4:51.43 - Missouri Grand Prix) • 1650 Free (16:45.60 - Purdue Invite) • 200 IM (2:03.37 - Purdue Invite) • 400 IM (4:22.23 - Purdue Invite)
Jill Granger: 500 Free (4:49.60 - Purdue Invite) • 400 IM (4:53.99 - Purdue Invite)
Lori Halvorson, 200 Free (1:48.91 - Purdue Invite)
Melissa Jamerson, 200 Fly (2:00.98 - Missouri Grand Prix)
Taye Patterson, 100 Back (55.59 - Purdue Invite)
Francie Szostak, 200 Free (1:49.98 - Iowa)
Erin Yeager, 200 Breast (2:16.41 - Purdue Invite)
Well Done
Kendra Melnychuk has been nothing short of fantastic in the diving well this season. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, native and three-time 2007-08 Big 12 Diver of the Week never finished lower than third in dual or invite action, tallying 26 wins, two runner-up showings and one third-place finish over the course of the season. Melnychuk, unbeaten in 2008, takes a 12-event winning streak into conference action.
Flash Gordon
Colleen Gordon has been nearly unstoppable this year as well, especially in the mid- and distance-free events. The native Texan has compiled 27 wins on the season, 15 of which were earned in the 200, 500, 1000 and 1650 free. Gordon enters the conference meet ranked third among the Big 12 competition in the 1000 free (9:54.61) and fifth in the 1650 free (16:45.60).
Why Taye When You Can Win?
Also red-hot in 2007-08 is Taye Patterson. The Val-Des-Monts, Quebec, native has compiled 17 wins on the season, six of these coming in the 100 back. Patterson heads into conference ranked second in the event (her favorite) with a time of 55.59.
Jacinto Excels Both in and out of Pool
Senior Arica Jacinto was selected as a recipient of the prestigious Mizzou '39 Award this past month. The award honors 39 campus seniors who have displayed outstanding service, academic achievement and leadership. She joins fellow 2008 recipient gymnast Julie Abaray as one of only four student-athletes to have received the award in its four-year history.
Canadian Win Count = 55
Kendra Melnychuk: 26
Taye Patterson: 17
Lauren Lavigna: 12
Players Mentioned
