Swimming: WVU Set to Open Dual Meet Schedule
October 13, 2004 05:29 PM | General
October 13, 2004
Morgantown, W.Va. - The West Virginia University swimming and diving team opens its 2004 dual meet schedule Thursday, Oct. 14, when it hosts Penn State at the WVU Natatorium at 5 p.m.
The team enters 2004 starting fresh with new head coach Sergio Lopez. Lopez helped turn around Northwestern's program as an assistant over the past few seasons and hopes to do the same in Morgantown.
"It is good for us to swim Penn State now because it is good for our swimmers to see the competition that is out there," says Lopez.
WVU's mens swimmers will be led by veterans Pedro Pinto and Chris Hagerdon. Pinto will pace the team in the 100 Fly, 200 Fly and 100 Free, while Hagerdon will do so in the 50 Free, 100 Free and 100 Fly. On Oct. 9 in the Blue-Gold Intrasquad meet both swimmers put up good enough times in their events to meet the probable BIG EAST Championship qualifying times.
Heading the women's side will be Megan Carlson (100 and 200 Breast), Tina Gabrilo (100 and 200 Back, 400 IM), Julia Warnken (200 Back, 400 IM) and Ashley Bissett (400 IM, 500 Free). All four met the probable BIG EAST Championship qualifying times at the Blue-Gold Intrasquad meet.
The Nittany Lions are coming off of a very successful 2003-04 season. The women came within a slim margin of winning their second Big Ten title in three years. The men finished seventh in the conference but have brought in a lot of talented young swimmers.
"The thing with Penn State is that both teams are very strong," says Lopez. "It's great for a team of that strength to come here and swim us."
Lopez also says that the Nittany Lions might be the toughest team that the Mountaineers face in a dual meet all season.
