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Dec. 3, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State swimming and diving teams will compete in their first non-dual event this season when the Nittany Lions travel south for the three-day Georgia Fall Invitational this weekend. The event is hosted by the University of Georgia and will begin Friday, Dec. 5 in Athens, Georgia, and continue throughout the weekend with competition wrapping up Sunday, Dec. 7.
The Penn State men are 5-2 on the year but will put their dual record aside to compete in the first of three open invitationals scheduled for the 2014-15 season. The last time the Nittany Lions competed in a similar format in the regular season was Feb. 8-9, 2014 at the Ohio State Invite when they saw a four swimmers record a total of seven first place finishes.
This season a dozen Nittany Lion swimmers have racked up first place finishes in dual meet competition, while eight relay teams have won gold. Penn State has also seen a top finish out of diver Travis Wright (Derby, N.Y.), but leading the way is senior Nate Savoy (Reading, Pa.), who has touched the wall first a total of seven times in 2014.
On the women's side, Penn State is 8-1 this season. Last season in the open invitational at Ohio State from Feb. 8-9, the Nittany Lions posted 11 first-place finishes.
So far this season, 13 members of the women's squad have won individual events, led by eight gold medal performances by senior Megan Siverling (Chester Springs, Pa.).
THE EVENT
Penn State is no stranger to this event as it competed in the Georgia Invite in 2012, with each team finishing fifth. The men's team also placed fifth in Athens during the 2010-11 season, and the women's team finished fourth. Additionally, Nittany Lion divers competed in the Bulldog Diving Shootout, also held in Athens during the 2011-12 campaign.
RANKINGS
The women's squad is currently ranked No. 15 in the most recent CSCAA Poll, release on Nov. 19, 2014. It marks its highest ranking of the season. Big Ten foes Minnesota (7th), Indiana (10th), Michigan (12th), Ohio State (18th), Wisconsin (23rd) and Purdue (25th) are also ranked in the top 25.
The men are one of six squads to be receiving votes in the CSCAA's most recent Top 25 poll, released Nov. 25. The Nittany Lions were ranked as high as No. 18 in two previous polls this season. Other Big Ten schools in the Top 25 include Ohio State (4th), Michigan (5th), Indiana (T-13th), Minnesota (T-19th), Wisconsin (21st) and Purdue (22nd). Michigan State is also receiving votes in the most recent CSCAA poll. Penn State peaked at No. 16 before its double-dual with Michigan and Virginia in College Swimming's national rankings.
LAST TIME OUT
The Nittany Lion men split a double-dual with Virginia and Michigan, downing UVA 212-136, but falling to the Wolverines 212.50-140.50, during a two-day competition inside McCoy Natatorium. Penn State secured a half dozen first place finishes during the dual (Nov. 7-8), including a pair of record setting performances courtesy of Savoy, who set the pool record in the 200 back (1:46.08) as well as in the 100 back (47.87).
On the women's side, the Nittany Lions topped Virginia, 183-170, and fell to No. 6 Michigan in a tightly-contested matchup, 178-175. The 200-yard medley relay team, the 400-yard freestyle relay team and the 200-yard freestyle relay team each set pool records in the event.
NEXT UP
Following the three-day Georgia Fall Invitational, the Nittany Lions will not get back in the pool for competition until Jan. 16-17, when they take on Yale and Rutgers during a two-day double-dual in New Brunswick, New Jersey. They then wrap-up their 2014-15 home slate with a dual meet against Navy in McCoy Natatorium, which is slated for Jan. 24.