Sept. 9, 2009
2009-10 Men's Schedule - 2009-10 Women's Schedule
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State men's and women's swimming & diving teams released their respective 2009-10 schedules on Wednesday, as announced by second-year head coach John Hargis. The two squads will host three combined meets in Happy Valley this season.
"I think any time that we move forward with a schedule, it is made to put our student-athletes in a position to race the best," Hargis said. "Obviously, we don't want to lose dual meets, but we want our kids in position where they're not uncomfortable at the Big Ten and NCAA level."
Things kick off on Oct. 9, when the two teams take part in the annual PSU Intrasquad Scrimmage at 3:00 p.m. Four days later, the regular season starts when the Nittany Lions trek up to western New York for a dual meet against St. Bonaventure.
Penn State returns home for a meet against West Virginia on Oct. 24 before traveling to Blacksburg, Va. for a two-day meet versus Virginia Tech (Oct. 30-31). The Oct. 24 meet will also feature the Colgate women's team at the 1:00 p.m. event.
After a three-week layoff, the Lions welcome Virginia to McCoy Natatorium for a two-day event on Nov. 20-21, before the teams jump into the invitational portion of its schedule.
Penn State embarks on a three-day event at the Ohio State Invitational in Columbus, Ohio on Dec. 4-6, the last meet before the holidays. It will be the first of four trips the Nittany Lion men make to Columbus, site of the 2010 Big Ten and NCAA Championships.
The Nittany Lions begin the New Year by sending its diving crew to the Bulldog Shoot-Out hosted by the University of Georgia. The two-day event will commence on Jan. 3, 2010. The teams will then venture south to Naples, Fla. for a dual meet with the Florida State Seminoles on Jan. 7 before returning north.
Pittsburgh, Maryland, Penn State and the Villanova women's team will participate in a two-day meet at Pittsburgh on Jan. 15-16. Two weeks later, the Nittany Lions travel back to Columbus to face Big Ten foes Ohio State, Michigan and Northwestern on Jan. 29-30.
"From going to Florida State in the second semester to facing Pitt, Maryland, Michigan and Ohio State, I think we build and progress our competitions as we get closer to our big meets," Hargis added. "It will put our kids in a position where they will be comfortable racing extremely fast swimmers."
The men's squad will take on Buffalo on Feb. 5 at 4:00 p.m. in Happy Valley before both teams celebrate Senior Day against Lehigh on Feb. 6 at 1:00 p.m.
"Our senior meet is always a special day for our kids," Hargis said. "That's the home meet we're really looking forward to."
The premier events of the Big Ten women's swimming calendar takes place Feb. 17-20 when Purdue hosts the Big Ten Women's Swimming & Diving Championships. A month later sees Purdue host the women's NCAA Championships (Mar. 18-20).
On the men's side, Ohio State hosts the Big Ten Championships (Feb. 24-27) and NCAAs (Mar. 25-27).
Both sets of diving teams will participate in the NCAA Zone A Qualifying meet at a to-be-announced site, Mar. 12-14.
Want to win an autographed 2009 team poster? Bid on this and other exclusive Penn State merchandise now by clicking here:
For complete coverage of all the Nittany Lion women's swimming & diving this season, go to Women's Swimming & Diving.
For complete coverage of all the Nittany Lion men's swimming & diving this season, go to Men's Swimming & Diving.
Follow Penn State head coach John Hargis on Twitter: @PSUCoachHargis
--NITTANY LIONS--