Oct. 27, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" The Penn State women's swimming and diving team is ranked No. 20 in the first College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) NCAA Division I Team Rankings of the 2015-16 season, it was announced Tuesday. The Nittany Lions also rank 11th in the latest rankings released by CollegeSwimming.com.
Penn State (4-0) is off to a strong start this season, sweeping a double dual against Georgia Tech and Liberty and also defeating Emory and Virginia Tech. Freshman Monika Gonzalez-Hermosillo (Mexico City, Mexico) and senior Melissa Rodriguez (Chihuahua, Mexico) have already achieved NCAA B-cut standards. Gonzalez-Hermosillo did so in the 400 individual medley with a time of 4:19.10 that ranks 19th nationally. Rodriguez surpassed the standard in the 200 breaststroke against Virginia Tech, currently ranking 12th in the nation at 2:13.81.
Other Big Ten teams in the Top 25 include Wisconsin (No. 9), Indiana (No. 11), Minnesota (No. 17) and Michigan (No. 23).
Penn State (748.14) is the top-ranked Big Ten team in the CollegeSwimming,com poll, in which team scores are calculated by using a team's 27 best swims and best medley and freestyle relays gauged against the U.S. Open record in each event. The rankings account for results submitted for meets from September 13 - October 27.
Indiana (744.21) and Wisconsin (741.28), trail in 14th and 15th, respectively.
The CSCAA rankings are compiled by member coaches. The poll is not designed to predict the results of the NCAA Championship, but rather which teams would win head-to-head against other teams in the country. Ranking are based on performances that have taken place since the previous poll and include invites as well as dual meets. The committee does not consider teams that have not yet competed in the current college season.
The Penn State men's and women's swimming teams will return to action Saturday and Sunday at Michigan for a double-dual meet that will also include Virginia.