The University of Georgia Bulldogs have announced their schedule for the 2016-2017 NCAA season, which will kick off at home in Athens next month against the University of North Carolina. Their meet program this season is a joint schedule for the men and women, which includes 8 regular season dual meets.
After the team’s UNC face-off October 7th, their next meet will be against SEC rival Florida in Gainesville on October 28th. Both of the initial meets will prove more competitive on the men’s side, where last season’s NCAA 5th-place Bulldogs will take on NCAA 3rd-place Florida and 4th-place NC State. Meanwhile, the defending NCAA champion women should have no problem against last year’s 18th-place UNC and 19th-place Florida.
In November, the Bulldogs will face Georgia Tech on the 2nd, Wisconsin on the 4th, and Missouri on the 10th. The in-conference Missouri meet is a new addition, likely organized due to Mizzou’s quickly-rising status in the NCAA.
The first semester season will culminate in the Georgia Fall Invitational December 2nd through 4th, which last year included NCAA powerhouses like the Cal men and Auburn.
The second semester will see the Bulldogs in duals against fellow SEC teams Tennessee (January 21st), plus meets versus Texas (January 14th) and Emory (January 28th). The Bulldogs will also be adding a dual meet against Arkansas January 5th, a team they did not face off against last year.
The championship season will begin with SEC Championships in Knoxville, Tennessee February 14th through 18th. NCAAs will take place at Indiana University March 16th-18th for women and March 23rd-25th for men.
The Bulldogs roll into the college season with monstrous momentum from the Olympics last month. They will return senior Rio gold medalist Olivia Smoliga (4 x 100 medley prelims), junior gold medalist Gunnar Bentz (4 x 200 free prelims), senior silver medalist Chase Kalisz (400 IM), senior bronze medalist Chantal van Landeghem (4 x 200 free, Canada), and junior individual finalist Jay Litherland (400 IM).
You can see the full schedule below:
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2016-2017 SCHEDULE
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| Date | Opponent / Event | Location | Time / Result | Media | |
| 10/07/16 | at North Carolina |
Chapel Hill, NC | 2:00 p.m. ET | MORE | |
| 10/28/16 | vs. Florida * |
Athens, Ga. | 11:00 a.m. ET | MORE | |
| 11/02/16 | at Georgia Tech |
Atlanta, Ga. | 4:00 p.m. ET | MORE | |
| 11/04/16 | vs. Wisconsin |
Athens, Ga. | TBA | MORE | |
| 11/10/16 | at Missouri * |
Columbia, Mo. | 12:00 p.m. ET | MORE | |
| 12/02/16 | Georgia Fall Invitational (prelims) | Athens, Ga. | 9:00 a.m. ET | MORE | |
| Georgia Fall Invitational (finals) | Athens, Ga. | 5:00 p.m. ET | MORE | ||
| 12/03/16 | Georgia Fall Invitational (prelims) | Athens, Ga. | 9:00 a.m. ET | MORE | |
| Georgia Fall Invitational (finals) | Athens, Ga. | 5:00 p.m. ET | MORE | ||
| 12/04/16 | Georgia Fall Invitational (prelims) | Athens, Ga. | 9:00 a.m. ET | MORE | |
| Georgia Fall Invitational (finals) | Athens, Ga. | 5:00 p.m. ET | MORE | ||
| 01/03/17 | Tennessee Diving Invite | Knoxville, Tn. | All Day | MORE | |
| 01/04/17 | Tennessee Diving Invite | Knoxville, Tn. | All Day | MORE | |
| 01/05/17 | vs. Arkansas |
Athens, Ga. | 4:00 p.m. ET | MORE | |
| Tennessee Diving Invite | Knoxville, Tn. | All Day | MORE | ||
| 01/14/17 | vs. Texas |
Athens, Ga. | TBA | MORE | |
| 01/21/17 | at Tennessee * |
Knoxville, Tn. | 12:00 p.m. ET | MORE | |
| 01/28/17 | vs. Emory | Athens, Ga. | TBA | MORE | |
| 02/14/17 | SEC Championships (prelims) * | Knoxville, Tn. | 10:00 a.m. ET | MORE | |
| SEC Championships (finals) * | Knoxville, Tn. | 6:00 p.m. ET | MORE | ||