Jan. 10, 2002
Evanston, Ill. - After spending the past month in training-first in Miami, Fla., and then back home at the Norris Aquatics Center-the Northwestern women's swimming and diving squad is ready to compete against some new faces this weekend.
On Saturday, the 'Cats will be in Auburn, Ala., for a double dual meet against Auburn and Tennessee. It is the first meet for NU since they faced Miami on Dec. 15.
Last year at this meet, which was held in Knoxville, Tenn., NU fell to both the Tigers and Lady Vols. However, Katie Simmons (Carmel, Ind./Carmel), Merritt Adams (Norcross, Ga./The Lovett School) and Rachel Johnson (Champaign, Ill./Centennial) all took home first-place finishes.
This year, the 'Cats head into the meet ranked 16th in country according to the latest College Swimming Coaches of America poll. Junior Carmen Cosgrove (Perth, Western Australia/Nebraska) continues to lead the squad with the fifth-fastest time in the nation in the 100 fly (54.21). Cosgrove and Johnson have already qualified for the NCAA Championships to be held in Austin, Texas in late March.
Auburn, who took seventh at last year's NCAAs, is ranked third in the nation coming into the meet. They are paced by NCAA Champion junior Maggie Bowen. Bowen won the 200 and 400 IM last season, breaking the American, US Open and NCAA record with a 1:55.49 in the 200 IM. Her best times this year include 1:57.51 in the 200 IM and 4:09.86 in the 400 IM, both rank second in the nation.
Tennessee finished 20th at NCAAs last year, but does not appear in the latest Top 25 poll. They return three All-Americans in Jamie Sanger, Monica Shannahan and Kylee Wells. The Lady Vols biggest threat should be in the diving competition as Sanger and Wells are both divers.
The 'Cats make their final home appearance next weekend as they host Big Ten opponent Penn State Saturday at 1 p.m.