Swimming To Compete In Cougar Classic Invitational
Nov 16, 2011 | Women's Swimming and Diving
Nov. 16, 2011
Coach Guarriello's Comments Prior To The Cougar Classic Invite
NEW ORLEANS - The Tulane University swimming and diving team will close out the fall portion of its 2011-12 schedule over the weekend when the Green Wave participate in the Phill Hansel Cougar Classic Invitational from Thursday-Saturday at the University of Houston Campus Recreation and Wellness Center.
The three-day, championship-format tournament will take place in the exact same facility as the 2012 Conference USA Swimming & Diving Championship and the Green Wave will used the weekend as a dress rehearsal for the season's culminating event. Tulane is one of four C-USA teams participating in the Cougar Classic, joining host Houston, SMU and Rice. Also joining the Green Wave at the CRWC are Air Force, Colorado State, Idaho, New Mexico, New Mexico State and Wyoming.
"I'm expecting a lot of personal bests at this meet," Tulane head coach Lena Guarriello said. "The team has matured significantly over the past year and they're ready for some fast in-season times. We've got a handful of athletes looking to qualify for Winter Nationals in December, so there's a little extra incentive for some of them.
"This meet really helps us prepare for our conference championship. It is run by the same meet director, with the same officiating staff as our conference meet. And, it gives us an opportunity to try some different things with our line-up in regards to individual events and relays and also helps us to determine our 18 scoring athletes for conference."
The teams will compete in the 200 free relay, 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free and 400 medley relay on Thursday, before squaring off in the 200 medley relay, 400 IM, 200 free, 100 breast, 10 0back and 800 free relay on Friday. The Phil Hansel Cougar Classic Invitational will conclude on Saturday with the 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, 400 free relay and 800 free relay. The preliminaries are slated for 10 a.m. all three days with the final scheduled to begin daily at 6 p.m.
The Green Wave head to Houston with a 1-4 dual-meet record and their win came in their last outing with a 155-125 decision over Vanderbilt on Nov. 5 at the Reily Student Recreation Center Natatorium. In that meet, senior Hagar Elgendy helped spearhead the Tulane effort with a win in the 50 free with a time of 24.36 and finished second in the 100 free with a mark of 52.93. Elgendy also anchored the 200 medley relay team, which finished second overall (1:48.63) and swam the second leg of the Green Wave's 400 free relay, which helped clinch the team victory with a first-place showing (3:31.63).
In addition to Elgendy's win in the 50 free, the Green Wave posted victories in the 100 back and 100 fly courtesy of Kayla Alf-Huynh's 57.88 and 57.99, respectively, the 200 fly with Gisele Calderon's 2:05.55, the 500 free on Allie Evan's mark of 5:09.73. All of those times were season bests.
Not to be left out, sophomore Sadie Eicher also posted season-best marks, winning the one-meter springboard with a mark of 202.35 and the three-meter event with a score of 236.85. Elgendy joined forces with Alf-Huynh, Kristine Gu and Rachel Ranson to win the 400 free relay.
The Phill Hansel Cougar Classic Invitational is the final fall event for the Green Wave, and the Tulane squad will open the spring portion of its schedule on Jan. 7 when the Wave will take part in the University of San Diego Relays.
Players Mentioned
