Swimming and Diving Opens Season Against Navy Friday

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Oct. 25, 2012

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.—The five-time defending Atlantic Coast Conference champion Virginia men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams open the 2012-13 season with a dual meet against Navy on Friday (Oct. 26) at the Aquatic and Fitness Center. Diving for the meet will be contested at 12:30 p.m., while the swimming events will begin at 3 p.m.

Before the swimming events, there will be a special ceremony honoring the swimming participants from the two schools at this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in London. In attendance for the ceremony will be UVa’s Olympic gold medalists Matt McLean and Lauren Perdue and first-year Yannick Kaeser, as well as Navy’s two-time Paralympic gold medalist Brad Snyder. Virginia’s Katya Bachrouche (Class of 2011) and David Karasek (Class of 2012) also competed in London.

Admission to Virginia swimming and diving meets is free to the public. Because of construction near the Aquatic and Fitness, parking adjacent to the facility will be limited and parking rules will be tightly enforced. There will be a few metered spaces available at the AFC and free parking is available at Slaughter Recreation Center and the parking lot closest to the West Gate at Scott Stadium. Spaces designated for those individuals in possession of a disabled parking permit are located off Alderman Road on the west side of the Aquatic and Fitness Center.

The Cavalier men, who have won 13 of the last 14 ACC titles, return three swimmers who competed at last year’s NCAA Championships, including seniors Tom Barrett and Brady Fox and junior Parker Camp. Barrett and Camp were part of three All-America relays, including the 800 free relay that finished fourth. The men finished 15th at the national meet.

UVa’s women return 11 NCAA qualifiers: seniors Perdue and Meredith Cavalier, juniors Charlotte Clarke, Caroline Kenney, Emily Lloyd and Rachel Naurath and sophomores Emily Dicus, Megan Fox, Alison Haulsee, Sarah White and ACC Freshman of the Year Ellen Williamson. Williamson finished sixth in the 200 back, while Cavalier touched eighth in the same event.

Navy’s women are 3-0 on the young season after defeating UMBC 164-136 on Oct. 19, while the men are 2-1 after dropping a 156-144 decision to the Retrievers in Baltimore.

In the last meeting between the two schools, Virginia’s women defeated Navy, 159-124, while the men fell to the Midshipmen, 159-139, on Oct. 28, 2011 in Annapolis, Md.

After the meet against Navy, the Cavaliers will also travel north this weekend to face Pittsburgh on Sunday (Oct. 28) with diving starting at 10 a.m., and swim events beginning at 11 a.m.

Both Cavalier squads claimed victories against the Panthers last season, with the men winning, 162-130, and the women being victorious, 159-133, on Jan. 28, 2012 in Charlottesville.