The Colorado State swimming & diving squad will head to San Diego for the USD Shootout hosted by the University of San Diego.
CSU will be joined by USD, North Texas and Kansas at the one-day event.
The Rams have not competed in over a month, and the layoff provided a good time to get away from the pool for the CSU athletes. They returned to intense training after the Christmas holiday.
“If our New Year ’s Eve practice was any indication, I think they’re going to be good,” Head Coach Christopher Woodard said about the status of his squad. “There’s always going to be rust when you have time off, because swimmers need to swim. They need to get into rhythm and race strategy, same with the divers. I think we will be about to knock off the rust and compete well.”
CSU will return to Moby Pool for a dual meet against Wyoming on Jan. 21. The meet will also serve as the team’s “Senior Meet”, honoring all 10 soon-to-be graduates on the roster.
WOODY’s WORDS
(on CSU versus the competition at the USD Shootout)
“I think the teams are comparable to us. They’re tough and they’ll present a challenge. I think when we are at full strength, we are a tough and well-balanced team.”
(on how the brief winter break away from the pool has impacted the team)
“Going through a break is a tricky thing that every coach has to negotiate. That break and family time is needed, but it also can take them out of rhythm. Swimmers and divers are such creatures of habit, so sometimes it takes a while to get back into that. I’m hopeful their time at home provided some mental relief, and not a mental lapse and that they’re still charged up. From what we’ve seen so far, we feel good about it.”
(on where the team is at during the latter half of the season)
“We’ve tried something different this year. We’ve never been a volume-intensive program, and this year we’ve focused even more on hitting both ends of the spectrum, working to handle long, crushing endurance sets and quick power and speed sets, while not worrying about what our daily yardage is. That, in conjunction with what (strength coach) Kelsey Zachman has done in the weight room, has yielded positive results. When we get to the last two weeks, we’ve just got to make sure everyone is excited. I think we’re headed in a good direction.”
2016 RAMS RECAP
The first half of the 2016-17 season for the Rams featured a pair of home dual meet victories, multiple school records and numerous NCAA ‘B’ cut qualifying times. CSU topped both Omaha and Idaho at Moby Pool in the fall, going 2-0 at home dual meets. Sophomore Haley Rowley, in her first semester as a competitor at CSU, set four school records (500/1000/1650 freestyle events and the 400 IM), all in one weekend at the Phill Hansel Invite. Rowley earned a pair of NCAA ‘B’ cut times (400 IM, 1650 free), joining teammate Rowan Hauber (100 & 200 back) as Rams with two qualifying marks. Tonicia Thomas (200 back) and Jenna Beaury (200 breast) also hit ‘B’ cut times. Emily Williams starred on the decks for CSU, and won her first MW Diver of the Week honor on Oct. 25.
HOW RAMS RANK IN MW
Eight different Rams rank in the top 10 in the Mountain West in various individual events. Haley Rowley ranks in the top 10 in four events, including third in the 1000 free, 1650 free and the 400 IM. Jenna Beaury is second in the 200 breast and fifth in the 100 breast, and is one of three MW swimmers to sit in the top five in both disciplines. Rowan Hauber is also in the top five in a pair of events – 100 and 200 back. Tonicia Thomas is fifth in the 200 back, making CSU the only school with two athletes in the top five of the event. Allie Jacobs also holds a top-five time with the league’s No. 5 time in the 400 IM.