Xavier University Athletics
Season Preview: Men's and Women's Swimming
09.23.19 | Swimming
CINCINNATI - Xavier men's and women's swimming kicks off the 2019-20 season on Sept. 29 at the Butler Invite. Xavier will take part in seven dual meets on the women's side and six on the men's side, as well as five invitationals leading up to the 2020 BIG EAST Championships.
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 XAVIER WOMEN |
- Xavier's women are coming off their best finish in the BIG EAST since joining the conference in 2013, finishing runners-up to Villanova. The second-place finish matched the program's best finish, a second-place finish in the Atlantic 10 Championships in 2008.
- During the 2019 Championship meet, Xavier's women collected the program's first relay championship in the 200 medley relay, marking the first time a BIG EAST team other than Villanova has won a relay in the conference's new configuration
- Xavier's women return seven All-BIG EAST honorees from last season, including Emily Conners, Taylor Hogan, Ali Fort, Emily Saugstad, Lydia Schaeffer, Maureen Cummins and Abigail Garner.
- Four All-Conference performers, Caroline Gaertner, Laura Dicus, Katie Kerr and Tianna Vozar, graduated from the 2019 team.
- The Musketeers added a class of seven newcomers to the roster.
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 XAVIER MEN |
- Xavier's men took the top spot in the 2019 BIG EAST Championship, despite not competing in diving, earning the program's fourth BIG EAST Championship in the six years since joining the conference.
- Â The Musketeer men collected six BIG EAST event championships over the course of the four-day meet, including four of the five relays.
- Xavier's men return seven All-Conference honorees, Brandon Abboud, Landon Clark, Ben Quon, Jared Ritz, Alex Sironen, Christian Thomas and Cameron Weese.
- The Musketeers had five All-BIG EAST performers, David Bunnell, Matthew Dyer, Enrique Hernandez, Sam Johanns an Nathan Runyon graduate from the 2019 team.
- Xavier added a freshman class of nine to the roster.
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 SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN |
Butler Quad | 9/29
Fishers HS | Fishers, Ind.
- The 2019 event will include host Butler, in addition to St. Louis and Evansville.
- In 2018, Xavier's women won the event for the fourth straight season, winning 10 of 11 racing events.
- Xavier collected team wins over Saint Louis, Butler, Evansville and Eastern Illinois.
- The Musketeer men finished with wins over two of the three squads they competed against.
- Xavier collected team wins over Eastern Illinois and Evansville, but fell to Saint Louis.
Louisville | 10/5
Ralph Wright Natatorium | Louisville, Ky.
- The Cardinal's fielded a top-five combined team last season, with the women finishing fourth at the NCAA Championships and the men finishing fifth.
- Louisville's women had five individuals earn All-American honors in eight events at the NCAA Championships, including three-time ACC Swimmer of the Year and four-time National Champion Mallory Comerford, who completed her collegiate career last season.
- The Cardinal men had four individuals compete in an A final, which ties the most A final swims in school history and had seven individuals earn All-American honors.
- In last season's dual meet, Louisville won by a final score of 185-73 on the women's side and 172.5-81.5 on the men's side.
Akron Zips Classic | 10/18-10/19
Ocasek Natatorium | Akron, Ohio
- This marks the second-straight season the Musketeers will competed in the Akron Zip Classic. This year's event will feature Denison and Miami in addition to hosts Akron.
- Last season at the Akron Invite, both Xavier squads finished fifth, with five teams competing on the men's side and six on the women's side.
- Xavier collected 13 top-10 event finishes in the two-day meet that featured Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland State, Denison and Miami last season.
Kenyon | 10/26
Steen Aquatic Center | Gambier, Ohio
- Kenyon's women were runners up at the NCAA DIII Championships after winning the NCAC title.
- Kenyon's men finished last season's NCAA DIII Championship in third place after placing second at the NCAC Championship.
- Xavier last faced off with Kenyon in the 2008-09 season, at Ohio. The women fell, 138-63 while the men lost, 107-94.
Denison | 11/2
Trumbull Aquatic Center | Granville, Ohio
- Denison remains one of the top overall Division III programs with the men claiming their second-straight national championship in 2019, marking their fifth title overall. During the course of the championship meet, Denison collected five event national championships, 39 All-American swims, and 27 top-eight finishes.
- Denison's women also made a strong showing nationally, finishing third at the DIII National Championships. The Big Red women return four-time national champion KT Kustritz.
- Last season, Xavier collected 10 event wins against the Big Red, with the women winning, 140-122, while the men fell 176-86.
Indiana State (Women)Â | 10/8
Vigo County Aquatic Center | Terre Haute, Ind.
- Indiana State finished third at last season's MVC Championships, the program's highest ever finish at the meet.
- Xavier's women hosted Indiana State last season, picking up five event wins, but falling 110-95.
Magnus Cup | 10/22-10/24
Busbey Natatorium | Cleveland, Ohio
- In addition to host Cleveland State, Xavier will be competing against Delaware, Indiana University of PA, University of the Cumberlands, Youngstown State University, California University of PA, West Virginia Tech, Fairmont State, who all competed in last year's event.
- In addition to Cleveland State University, the Musketeers will compete against University of the Cumberlands, Delaware, Indiana University of PA, West Virginia Tech, Fairmont State University, which all competed at Magnus Cup in 2018.
- At last meet's Magnus Cup, Xavier finished third on both the men's and women's side after collecting four event wins, a meet record in the 50 back and four new school records.Â
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US Open | 12/4-12/8
Georgia Tech Aquatic Center | Atlanta, Ga.
- Xavier aims to return to the US Open, formerly the USA Swimming Winter National Championships, for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
- At the event in December 2017, Xavier had a school-record nine Musketeers taking place in events during the meet, held at Ohio State.
- Of those nine, a pair remain on Xavier's roster, Emily Conners and Abigail Garner.
Cincinnati | 1/17
Keating Aquatic Center | Cincinnati, Ohio
- Cincinnati's men are coming off a second-straight American Athletic Conference title.
- UC's women finished second in the AAC at the 2019 meet.
- At last year's meet, Xavier collected five event wins, including two each for Taylor Hogan, the 100 fly and 200 back, and Emily Conners, who swept the freestyle sprints. Xavier's women fell 209.5-84.50.
- On the men's side, Christian Thomas won the 50 free as Xavier's men fell 222.50-71.50.
Butler Invite | 1/26
Fishers HS | Fishers, Ind.
- This year's event will include Saint Louis, Southern Illinois, Youngstown State, Eastern Illinois and Ball State in addition to host Butler.
- At last season's Butler Invite, both the Xavier men and women claimed first place after winning seven events.
- Xavier's women collected 12 top-three finishes, including six event wins to take first out of 10 teams.
- Xavier's men collected seven top-three finishes, with one event win, to finish first among eight teams.Â
IUPUIÂ | 1/31
Indiana Natatorium | Indianapolis, Ind.
- IUPUI's women finished last season's Horizon League Championships in second place, while the men finished fourth.
- At last season's meet, the Musketeers claimed wins in 15 of 28 racing events. Xavier's women fell narrowly, 152-142, while the men fell, men fell 180.5-113.4
Miami (OH) | 2/1
Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center | Oxford, Ohio
- Miami's men are coming off a MAC Championship, taking first place with 957.5 points at last year's event.
- Miami's women finished fourth in the MAC last season.
- At last season's meet with Miami, the Musketeers combined for 15 top-three finishes against the RedHawks. The women fell 234-56 and the men fell 239-55.
BIG EAST | 2/26-2/29
Nassau County Aquatic Center | East Meadow, N.Y.
- Xavier men's swimming claimed the 2019 BIG EAST Championship, coming from behind to pass Georgetown on the final day of the competition, finishing with 779.5 points, topping second place Georgetown by 35 points.
- Xavier's men collected six BIG EAST event Championships over the course of the four-day meet, including four of the five relays.
- Las year's championship was the fourth BIG EAST Championship for the Xavier men, who won three-straight from 2014-16.
- Xavier's women finished runners-up in 2019, the highest finish since joining the conference in 2013.
- Xavier's women finished the meet with one event championship, the 200 medley relay, marking the first relay championship for the women's program.
- The Musketeers finished with 662 points, a program-best since joining the BIG EAST, for the second-place finish to champions Villanova. The finish is the best since joining the BIG EAST and ties the program best finish in 2008 when the Musketeers were Atlantic 10 runners up.
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Wednesday, February 20