IU to face test at Georgia Invitational

In its last meet of the 2011 portion of the season, the IU swimming and diving team will travel to Athens, Ga., this weekend as the Hoosiers participate in the Georgia Invitational, one of the toughest meets in the nation this early in the season.

The Hoosiers’ competition will be staunch — on the men’s side, No. 14 IU (4-2) will face four top-10 opponents, including No. 5 Auburn, defending national champion No. 6 California, No. 9 Georgia and No. 7 Florida’s diving team.

The women’s team (3-3) will also compete against ranked teams, facing No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 California, No. 6 Auburn and No. 4 Florida’s diving team.

“This is probably the highest-level invitational that’s being offered the first semester in the NCAA,” IU Coach Ray Looze said. “It’s going to be a huge challenge, but it’s going to replicate what we’ll face in NCAAs, where we’ll have the best of the best all come together and compete.”

The men’s swimming and diving team is coming off a double dual meet sweep of now-No. 21 Virginia and Penn State.

It was the first time this season the Hoosiers dominated competition in their meet, winning 13 of the 18 events conducted, including both diving competitions.

The Hoosiers hope to impose their will once again. This time, however, it will be against some of the top competition in the nation.

IU will meet Virginia again this weekend with UNC-Wilmington and the diving team for
Maryland.

“Our guys are prepared to swim fast this weekend, and as long as we stay calm under pressure and make the right moves, we’ll get some wins,” sophomore Cody Miller said. “There is no reason we can’t be a top-10 team this year. We’re going to make it happen."

On the women’s side two weeks ago, the Hoosiers beat Penn State and lost to now-No. 18 Virginia, splitting the meet. IU garnered only four wins throughout the
competition.

The IU women’s team will also face Virginia again, UNC-Wilmington, Harvard and the diving teams of No. 19 Maryland.

“This meet is really going to give our athletes a good taste of what that’s like and how it can be distracting when you have a lot of fast people around you,” Looze said. “We are going to have to deal with not leading races and we will have to fight through from being behind, potentially.”

Despite the tough test, Looze said that what is most important is the experience the team will gain, participating with some of the top competition in the nation.

“The teams we are facing are all fantastic programs who are the golden standard in college swimming right now,” Looze said. “Any time that you can go up against them, win or lose, you’re going to be better with the experience.”