Big-12 Weekly Preview: Texas Set for Dual Meets with NC State and UNC

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

By Jason Tillotson.

Intense match ups are set around the Big-12 this week as the University of Texas men and women’s swimming and diving teams head to North Carolina to take on two ACC powerhouses, North Carolina State University and UNC-Chapel Hill. Texas Christian University will travel to Iowa State, where they will race the Cyclones and South Dakota.

Here’s a closer look at this week’s action:

Texas vs. NC State

This weekend the #5 Longhorns travel to North Carolina for two separate dual meets. On Friday, the men and women’s teams will take on #6 NC State and on Saturday, both teams will take on the Tar Heels of UNC-Chapel Hill.

On the men’s side, Texas is coming off a tough loss to Texas A&M while NC State has a recent win against Wisconsin under their belt. Both teams are relatively evenly matched in the freestyle events of the 200 and shorter distances, but NC State has the upper hand in the distance events. Longhorn distance man Townley Haas will attempt to defeat NC State’s Anton Ipsen, who has posted the second fastest time in the nation in the 500 free so far this season with a 4:19.71.

Outside of the freestyles, Longhorn senior Joseph Schooling will try and lead the Texas men to victory in the butterfly events, as he comes into the meet with the nation’s fastest time in the 200 distance and the nation’s 4^th fastest time in the 100 distance.

Freshman standout Austin Katz will likely have some backstroke responsibilities this weekend. Katz and Longhorn backstroker John Shebat will have their hands full against NCAA finalist Hennessey Stuart from NC State.

The Longhorn women are undefeated so far this season and have just come off a narrow, yet impressive victory over the Texas A&M Aggies last weekend, while the Wolfpack is coming off two straight loses against California and Stanford.

The Longhorns have one advantage right off the bat; depth. The Texas women have four swimmers at 50-seconds or better in the 100 freestyle, while NC State has one, and five swimmers under 1:50 in the 200 freestyle, while the Wolfpack has two. This depth should help relay situations for the Longhorns.

Butterfly is another area of dominance for the Texas ladies against the Wolfpack. Texas is bringing in Remedy Rule and Lauren Case, who have each posted times well below 2:00 in the 200 butterfly, a 1:55.79 for Rule and 1:57.69 for Case, while NC State has no swimmers under the 2:00 mark.

Caroline Hauder — Photo Courtesy: Jeffrey A. Camarti-UNC Athletics Communications

Texas vs. UNC, Chapel Hill

The very next day, both Longhorn squads will take on the unranked Tar Heels. Both the men’s and women’s teams from UNC are coming off conference victories over Virginia Tech.

Much like the Texas women versus NC State, the men will use their depth in the sprint freestyle and stroke events to put together tough-to-beat relay situations.

The Tar Heels are set to give the Longhorns all they can handle in the breaststroke events which is a weak area for the Texas men this season. UNC is bringing in Valdas Abaliksta who has posted B cut times in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke this season. Both performances from Abaliksta are faster than what Longhorn Casey Melzer has posted so far this year.

Most other events should belong to the Longhorns in this dual meet, due to their already swift roster influx of fast freshman like Katz and Sam Pomajevich.

Like the men’s meet The women will likely have an easier time against the Tar Heels than the Wolfpack due to their depth in many relay and individual events.

The Longhorns come in with a faster time than the Tar Heels in every event except for two; the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle. In the sprint freestyles, UNC brings in Senior Caroline Baldwin who has posted the nation’s third fastest time this season with a 22.20 in the 50 freestyle and a 48.50 in the 100, which is the nation’s sixth fastest time.

Outside of the sprint freestyles, another area the Tarheels will challenge the Longhorns will be the breaststroke events. Longhorn Olivia Anderson comes in with a 1:00.64 in the 100 but Tarheel Caroline Hauder is right behind with a 1:01.57. Anderson and Hauder may face off in the 200 as well, where they have each posted similar times with Anderson at 2:14.29 and Hauder at 2:15.32.

Photo Courtesy: Andy Ringgold / Aringo Photos

TCU vs. Iowa State and South Dakota

The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams from TCU will travel to Iowa State to take on the Cyclones and South Dakota. Since Iowa State only has a women’s team, the Cyclones will only be competing against TCU’s and SDU’s women’s teams.

TCU’s men’s and women’s teams are both coming off respective loses over SMU and Kansas. Despite these losses, the Horned Frogs should be able to create some close races for spectators in Ames, Iowa.

Freshman standout Joao Andrade will lead the men into battle with his middle-distance freestyle prowess while junior Catherine Maxey will do the same for the women. Both TCU athletes come in with the fastest times for the Horned Frogs in the 200 and 500 freestyles.

The breaststroke events happen to be the area where we will most likely see the closest and most exciting races. The Cyclones have Martha Haas at 1:04.78 and Danica Delaquis at 1:05.78 in the 100 distance. Meanwhile the TCU women bring in Devin Newton at 1:05.45 and Chloe Miller at 1:06.86 in the same event.

On the men’s side, Jakub Swierczynski will lead the way for the Horned Frogs against SDU with his 57.52 in the 100 breaststroke. Swierczynski is accompanied by teammate Migs Martin who has turned in a 57.79 this season.

*Elsewhere in the Big-12, Iowa State’s divers will compete at the Minnesota Diving Invite on Saturday.

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Blue Baie

6 years ago

Don’t see a reason not to share it

Sean Quinn

6 years ago

Under what parameters is UNC considered a ‘powerhouse’?

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Jason Tillotson

6 years ago

Reply to Sean Quinn

Hi, Sean

In my opinion, UNC, despite seemingly going through a bit of a lull, is still considered a powerhouse in the ACC because they consistently send a decent-sized crew to the NCAA’s (they had 12 swims at NCAA’s last year) and were right behind FSU and UVA at ACC’s last year. Are they what they used to be a few years ago? No, but they are still competitive within the ACC and the NCAA which is something other teams in the ACC, can’t say (i.e. Boston College, Georgia Tech, Pitt).