LSU Swimming and Diving Preps for First Purple & Gold Intrasquad of Schmitt Era

BATON ROUGE, LA, October 1. FIRST year head coach Adam Schmitt will have a first look to see how his new team has progressed this offseason.

The LSU swimming and diving team competes in the 16th annual Purple and Gold Intrasquad today at 3 p.m. in the LSU Natatorium, reports the university sports information office.

Schmitt, a native of Houston, Texas, became the eighth head coach in school history this past June and was a former All-American during the late 1980s, leading the Tigers to their only SEC Championship.

"This will be our first opportunity to race," said Schmitt. "We will see what kind of competitors we have on this team starting right now."

The 13-event meet will begin with the 400 medley relay followed up by the 1000 freestyle, which will be the only combined men's and women's event on the day.

In last year’s meet, the purple team stormed back to reclaim the title, 226-212, after winning the intrasquad six out of the last seven years. The gold team was victorious in 2002 by a score of 223-203.

Seniors Margot Gathings, Margaret Beadle and Christian Clausen, as well as freshman diver Niko Dalman will serve as captains for the purple team. The purple squad will be advised by assistant coach Eddie Lovell and graduate assistant Mick Coyne.

Seniors Lindsay Staak, Jessica Wantz, Jared Strecker and junior Ross Hebert will anchor the gold team. The gold team will be coached by assistant coaches Morgan Bailey and Anne Blachford.

The events will be scored in standard college dual meet form and every team member will be required to swim three events but no more than four.

LSU officially begins the season on Friday, Oct. 29, hosting Southeastern Conference foes Alabama and Arkansas at 3 p.m. in the LSU Natatorium.

PURPLE TEAM
Coaches Eddie Lovell and Mick Coyne, Margaret Beadle, Margot Gathings, Colleen Bertirotti, Heather Brown, Paige Brown, Lauren Harvey, Katy Leininger, Kristin Moon, Michelle Stabler, Melissa Stanley, Jeannine Malbrough, Alyson Carlyon, Christian Clausen, Niko Dalman, Ryan Ashby, Myles Jaynes, Andrew Keane, Benjamin Kenney, Rustin Kormos, Jan Minartz, Gael Souci, Jeffrey Vivo, Justin Boyes

GOLD TEAM
Coaches Morgan Bailey and Anne Blachford, Lindsay Staak, Jessica Wantz, Stefanie Carver, Bethany Cottingham, Michelle Hanson, Alice Hardesty, Jenna Molinski, Margaret Anne Moore, Mallory Neltner, Hali Saucier, Clare Schepens, Rachel Taylor, Jared Strecker, Ryan Cochran, Kevin Braud, Leon Cannizzaro, Chris Cloutet, Islam Ezzo, Jay Fitzgerald, Adam Hebert, Miko Malberg, Jason Vanbrunt, Joseph Veron

SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
400 medley relay
1000 freestyle
200 freestyle
50 freestyle
200 individual medley
Diving
200 butterfly
100 freestyle
200 backstroke
500 freestyle
Diving
200 breaststroke
400 freestyle relay

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