Press Release courtesy of Colorado State Athletics
The Colorado State Rams will host their first dual meet of the 2017-18 season on Saturday, with the Denver Pioneers visiting Moby Pool. The meet is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. MT, but with the first diving event taking place at 11:15 a.m.
The Rams are excited to get their home season started, with the Saturday being the first of three home dual meets they will have this season.
“We’ve made some improvements to the facility over the past two years,” Head Coach Christopher Woodard said. “It’s become a little bit more of an elite training pool and racing pool. Plus, we’re always happy to be home in front of our fans.”
Like usual, the Pioneers are bringing a strong squad to Fort Collins. DU defeated CSU last season in Denver, 159-101.
“Denver is well-coached, they recruit well and they perform,” Woodard said. “They’ve been a thorn in our side for the better part of a decade. I think we are making progress and that’s going to show. At the same time, I want our kids to come in to every meet and be aggressive and be ready to compete, but also think long term. It needs to be about them prepping for the best race they can to put themselves into a position to succeed in the championship season in the spring.”
Haley Rowley, now a junior at CSU, won the 1000 freestyle in the event, while Katie Kicklighter (now graduated) won the 50 free.
Two current Rams helped win the 400 free relay against DU last year, as well. Carmen Mand and Rowan Hauber swam the two middle legs of the relay, with Kicklighter and Teagan Griffith also pushing the Rams to the win.
CSU took a pair of victories at the Intermountain Shootout hosted by Colorado Mesa two weekends ago, beating the host squad and BYU. With momentum from a strong first meet combined with a raucous home atmosphere, Woodard expects his squad will perform at a high level on Saturday.
“We love it,” Woodard said of the energy in Moby Pool. “I have the utmost respect for (Denver head coach) Brian Schrader and his staff and team, but we want to make it a hostile environment on Saturday. Our fans, and especially the front row, usually gets rowdy. They have their faces painted. I feed off of that energy, and I know the team does too.”
ORDER OF EVENTS:
11:15 am
- 3-Meter Dive
12 pm
- 1000 Free
- 200 Free
- 100 Back
- 100 Breast
- 200 Fly
- 50 Free
- 1-Meter Dive
- 100 Free
- 200 Back
- 200 Breast
- 500 Free
- 100 Fly
- 200 IM
- 400 Free Relay
