Lady'Backs Open with Red-White Meet

FAYETTEVILLE—The University of Arkansas swimming and diving team enters the pool at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 9 for the Red-White Meet. The Lady Razorbacks welcome 10 newcomers to the roster including six divers. Head coach Anne Goodman James said team is ready to begin the 2004-05 season and the freshmen Lady’Backs are especially eager for the first contest of the year. “As a coaching staff, we are always excited to see the freshmen in competition for the first time,” she said. “It always impresses me how the freshmen compete in this meet. This meet seems to be unmatched in the excitement level.” Team captains senior Lisa Petry and junior Kristen Thibodeaux lead the squads. Petry guides the Red team, which includes two-time all-American senior Whitney Lynn and Minnesota state champion freshman Emily Gregory. Thibodeaux’s White crew counters with Olympian senior Zsuzsa Csobanki and Canadian diver freshman Jamie Hyslop. Goodman James said the Red-White meet is a fierce struggle between the Lady’Backs where one event can affect the final results. “As a staff, we try to divide the team evenly and every year without fail it comes down to the last event,” Goodman James said. “It’s amazing how they respond to head to head competition. It’s surprising at this time of the year the times that are posted.” Goodman James said the freshmen adapted to the team quickly and add energy to the squad while learning from the returning team members. “With an unusually high percentage of freshmen, there is a great deal of enthusiasm and desire to improve and to be competitive on the collegiate level,” Goodman James said. “The upperclassmen are setting a great example of what it takes to be a SEC level swimmer.” The Lady’Backs open the 2004-05 season against Drury University Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. inside the Arkansas Natatorium. For more information on Arkansas swimming and diving, log on to www.ladybacks.com.