Bulldog Swimming Returns to Action with Weekend Events

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - - The last events before postseason competition for the Truman men's and women's swimming teams will take place this Friday and Saturday, as the Bulldog men swim in back-to-back meets while the women prep for Senior Day on Saturday.

The Bulldog men will visit Great Lakes Valley Conference rival Missouri S&T for a 5 p.m. dual on Friday (Jan. 17) night, before returning and joining with the women's squad for a showdown with Div. I Missouri State at 1 p.m. on Saturday (Jan. 18). Both squads will celebrate Senior Day during the Saturday afternoon duals against the MSU Bears.

This weekend's action will be the first since a Dec. 7 home dual with Lewis (Ill.), in which the then-No. 4 ranked Truman women earned a 165-96 win against then-No. 8 Flyers, while the men fell 187-74.

For both squads, this weekend will serve as the only competition prior to the program's first appearance at the GLVC Championships – set to be held Feb. 12-15 in Crawfordsville, Ind.

"It's our last time for our coaching staff to see them really race," head coach Ed Pretre said. "We are looking for some good times, great race strategies, and hopefully we will have some more clarity as to who will make the final spots for our conference team."

Adding to the weekend's duals are Senior Day festivities for both teams. Both squads are weighted heavily with underclassmen; however, the impacts that men's seniors Sam Collier and Ricky Zott, as well as women's seniors Beth Eyanson, Nichole Imhof, Casey Jepsen, Margaux Kent, and Bailey Peterson, have left will be felt for years to come.

"This class has seen it all," Pretre said. "They have been through incredibly rough times when Truman swimming went through so much. The fact they stuck around and have played major roles in this program's resurgence speaks highly of their character. Not many athletes could have done what they did."

While this weekend likely won't produce many time standards in advance of the NCAA Championships in mid-March, the Bulldogs will look to improve their mental toughness in advance of next month's GLVC Championships.

"The fact that we are tired and sore right now is a good thing," Pretre said. "[A weekend like this] mentally prepares them that if they can push through now while being tired, they can go even faster at conference when they are on full rest."

Currently, 10 women's swimmers have secured B-cut times in a combined 17 events, while five women's relay squads have also notched B-cuts entering the spring semester.

Admission to Saturday's final dual with Missouri State is free, with the first event set to begin at 1 p.m.

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