Streamlined News: Weekend Meet Preview; Ryan Murphy’s College Choice


PHOENIX, Arizona, October 19. THIS weekend will give swimming fans plenty of action to follow, from the FINA World Cup to college dual meets across the United States. We're past the halfway point on the World Cup circuit, and Katinka Hosszu is still the overall leader in the women's points races for $100,000. Hosszu was a little off her game earlier this week in Moscow but still managed to get the top points for her win in the 200 IM Wednesday. Kenneth To is winning in the points standings on the men's side, though Stanislav Donets, who has been competing in all of the World Cup meets so far, finally broke through and swam a great 100 back with a 49.74 in his home country. The tour continues in Berlin tomorrow with the same stars lining up to win more cash and collect more medals.

The national junior team will also be in Berlin this weekend, hoping to repeat or improve on their fine showings in Moscow. Becca Mann was the top performer of the team, getting on the podium three times. The 14-year-old was a multiple event finalist at the Olympic Trials.

Back here in the United States, the University of Georgia travels to Arkansas for their first in-conference dual meet, two days after opening their season with a win against Georgia Tech. Watch for Allison Schmitt and Megan Romano to stand out on the women's side, while Andrew Gemmell and Martin Grodski could be the top swimmers for the Georgia men.

The SMU Classic will feature six of the top women's teams in the country in a special-format meet. Each of the teams can only bring eight swimmers and one diver, with each of the six teams allowed one swimmer in the consolation and championship heats. USC, Florida, and Texas are the top teams at the meet, joined by Louisville, North Carolina and of course, host SMU.

After taking last year off to train for the chance to compete for France at the Olympics, Eric Ress is back at Indiana, competing today against Kentucky and Tennesse in the Hoosiers' first meet of the season. Ress was runner-up in both backstrokes in 2011 at the NCAAs and will be looking for a national title in his junior year.

The University of Texas men's team, last season's national runners-up, start their season with competition at the Southwest Collegiate Plunge, a two-day meet that will also feature SMU, Texas A&M and Incarnate Word, which is making the transition to becoming a Division I school. Dax Hill was the Longhorns' only individual event winner last year, taking the 200 free, but the Horns also managed to win the 400 free relay and 800 free relay at the NCAAs.

Just minutes after we taped yesterday's Streamlined News, Ryan Murphy announced that he would be attending UC-Berkeley next fall. Murphy is one of the top male recruits this season, along with Jack Conger, and his best short course yards times would give the Golden Bears a strong force in backstroke and sprint freestyle. His best 200 backstroke would have placed third at last March's NCAAs. Congratulations to Ryan on making his college commitment.

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