Oct. 24, 2002
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - The two-time defending Sun Belt Conference champion Western Kentucky University women's swimming and diving team will get a chance to see where it stands amongst conference schools this season when they participate in the first Sun Belt Conference Fall Classic at New Mexico State in Las Cruces, N.M. on Friday and Saturday.
Joining the Lady Toppers in the meet are Sun Belt rivals Denver, North Texas, and host New Mexico State. The Air Force Academy will also be sending a team. The format of the meet will consist of quad-dual meets both days. The meet begins Friday at 3 p.m. CDT and Saturday at 11 a.m. at CDT.
"This is the first real meet of the season for us and there are a lot of unknowns," said WKU head coach Bill Powell, whose team finished second in the Kentucky Relays last Saturday. "We don't know what times the other programs are swimming right now, but Air Force is traditionally a powerful team. New Mexico State is also strong and would have to be the conference favorite. We get to try and be the spoiler."
For Powell, the event will be an opportunity to see how his team is shaping up after losing nearly 500 of the 849.5 points it scored in winning the Sun Belt Conference last spring.
"This week will give us a chance to see how good New Mexico State and some of the other teams in our conference are," said the coach, whose team has nine freshmen. "It will let us know where we stand with some of the other teams and what we need to do to get better. Right now, nobody knows how any of the other team's recruited.
"It will be a good experience for our team to see what college swimming is all about and what they need to do to get better."
Youth isn't the only concern for Powell.
"New Mexico State's indoor pool is being renovated so the meet will be outside," said the coach. "Two weeks ago, the coach called and said don't forget to bring your sunblock. Now, he's saying don't forget to bring your parkas. The high is only supposed to be 70, but when your outside swimming that can be really cold.
"It also causes a problem for a backstroker if they are not use to swimming outside. They don't have anything to mark their path with like a ceiling."
