TCU Swim & Dive Announces High Caliber 2020-21 Schedule

Courtesy: TCU Athletics

FORT WORTH — TCU swimming and diving has released its 2020-21 schedule, head coach James Winchester announced today. All but one opponent was ranked in the top 50 of College Swimming’s team rankings at the conclusion of last season.

The Horned Frogs open their season in Columbia, Mo., against the University of Missouri. TCU’s women will have a quick turn around after the season opener, heading to Kansas to face the Jayhawks the next day.

The Tiger men finished last season ranked No. 7 in the country, with their women at No. 20. Missouri’s men went undefeated in dual meets during their 2019-20 campaign, with wins over SEC foes Florida, Kentucky and LSU. Missouri defeated four nationally-ranked opponents at a two-day quad dual against No. 3/7 North Carolina State, No. 17/14 Kentucky and Arkansas.  

TCU and Missouri faced off once back in 1989-90, with the men taking a 54-29 victory and the women winning 58-35.

Kansas’ women went 7-1 in dual meets last season, with their lone loss at No. 21 Arizona State. The Horned Frog women’s last encounter with the Jayhawks came in 2018, falling 206.5-92.5. Despite the loss, TCU had a strong performance on the diving boards with a pair of wins and three NCAA Zone cuts. Izzy Ashdown swept both 1- and 3-meter boards with Connie Deighton finishing second in both events. Kiki Rice also earned a second-place finish in the 200 IM, finishing in 2:09.33.

A short trip down I-30 on October 23rd against SMU follows. The Mustangs took the crosstown rivalry dual meet last season. The men fell, 171-125, while the women were bested 180.5-119.5. With the Frogs having just one male diver competing, SMU had a diving advantage of 30 points on the men’s side. TCU looks to make up some ground in that category with the addition of three freshman male divers this season.

In the 2019 edition of the Iron Skillet, TCU swept the 200 Fly thanks to Piotr Sadlowski, Michael Chwaluk and Charles Millette. Ashdown earned NCAA Zone cuts on both 1- and 3-meter boards, winning 3-meter with a score of 306.90. Faith Harms-Zacharias also collected her third qualifying score of the 2019 season on 1-meter. 

TCU’s last dual meet victory over SMU came in 2015. The Frogs men’s team trailed by 16 points late but before the final event, Tommy Thach put TCU in position to win after securing a first-place finish in the 200 IM as the Frogs bested the Mustangs, 152-148. This completed the trio of three-straight victories against SMU (173.5-126.5 in 2014) (177.5-122.5 in 2013).

Next, the Frogs stay in the Lone Star State for a dual meet against Texas A&M. The Aggies came in at No. 6/18 in the final CSCAA polls of 2019-20. TCU’s last wins over A&M came in 1991 (men) and 1982 (women). 

Finishing up the fall section of the 2020-21 season is a trip to the panhandle of Florida to square off against Florida State on Nov. 14. The Seminole men finished 2020 ranked 14th in the nation while their women received votes.

Opening up the 2021 part of the schedule is the defending Big 12 Champion Texas Longhorns. Texas’ men won their 41st consecutive conference championship last season, as the Longhorn men produced their 23rd Big 12 title while the women inked their 17th.

Another Big 12 showdown concludes the 2020-21 regular season with a journey to Morgantown, W. Va. TCU’s women will look to snap a four-meet losing skid against the Mountaineers to take control of the all-time series (4-4).