BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Western Kentucky University swimming and diving coach Bruce Marchionda has announced the Hilltoppers competition schedule for the 2010-11 season. WKU will compete in six regular season duals and host two before heading to the Sun Belt Conference Championships in February.
The Hilltoppers kick off the season Oct. 16, as they take on Southeastern Conference opponents South Carolina and Vanderbilt in a meet in Nashville, Tenn., followed by duals against Georgia Tech and Florida Atlantic in Atlanta, Ga., on Oct. 23.
"We are very excited about this year's schedule," Marchionda said. "Opening up with South Carolina and Vanderbilt, two SEC schools, will be extremely challenging and then we turn right around and hit Georgia Tech, a big ACC school, down at their pool. That is a tough way to open up the year but my philosophy is if you want to continue to move forward you have to swim the best teams that you possibly can."
Following an Nov. 6 meet against Xavier in Cincinnati, Ohio., WKU will host the three-day Hilltopper Invite, Nov. 19-21, at Bill Powell Natatorium. Western Kentucky University will then host Evansville on Dec. 4. Last season against Evansville, WKU earned a sweep as the women came away with a 121-113 win while the men won 120-107.
"Then we will be able to settle down into our real serious training and the Hilltopper Invite in November," Marchionda said. "It will be an excellent opportunity for us to rehearse a three-day conference type meet that we will hit at the end of the year. And then in the second semester, finishing up the year with Southern Illinois is always an exciting meet and it will be senior day. It is a great flow to the year as far as being able to use that as a training base to get ready for the conference championships and the national championships."
After a road dual against Indian River State College, WKU returns to Bowling Green for its final home meet of the year against Southern Illinois on Jan. 29.
Postseason begins with the Sun Belt Conference Championships, Feb. 23-26 in Dallas, Texas. This year marks the first time in three seasons the event has not been held in Nashville.
"It will be an exciting time for our swimmers," Marchionda said. "We have been in Nashville for the last three years. It has become home, we are very comfortable there. It is very close to home for our parents and fans so we will be faced with a little bit of a travel challenge but at the same time it will be exciting because it is a new venue. It will be something different in having to travel and that could add a little excitement. We are trying to look at it as a positive and not a negative and hopefully we can continue to be successful at that level even though it isn't in our backyard."
The Women's NCAA Championships are scheduled for March 17-19 in College Station, Texas, while the Men's NCAA Championships will be in Minneapolis, Minn., March 24-26.
