University of Houston Athletics
Swimming and Diving Unveils 2011-12 Schedule
7/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
July 13, 2011
HOUSTON - The University of Houston swimming and diving team announced its 2011-12 schedule Wednesday afternoon.
Under the direction of first-year head swimming coach Augie Busch and head diving coach Jane Figueiredo, the Cougars will host nearly all of its dual meet opponents along with their annual fall invitational and the Conference USA Championships in the spring at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium.
"It has a lot to do with how the home-and-home meets shaped out," Busch said regarding the home-heavy schedule. "We had a home-and-home scheduled with Miami after they came here last year, but it worked out in a way that (Miami could come here and) we could also be ready for the Rice Invitational the following weekend, which was key. That's great competition and Rice has a good pool, as well."
Houston will look to build on the 7-6 (2-1 C-USA) dual meet record the team posted last season, but will pair up against elite competition to do so. The Cougars will face six teams in the upcoming season that finished the 2010-11 campaign in the top 25 of the CollegeSwimming.com/CSCAA Coaches poll, including Texas and Texas A&M who both ended the season in the nation's top 10.
"This Rice meet is going to be a really good meet very early in the season," Busch said. "Boston and Boston College will both be ready to go. Then in January we've bolstered the schedule with LSU and then Texas A&M coming in a couple weeks before the conference championships will be another really good test for us."
The traditional Red and White intersquad meet will kick off the 2011-12 calendar on Oct. 5 before the Cougars hit the road for their only time away from Houston during the fall season. UH will travel to Massachusetts to face Boston University and Boston College on Oct. 14-15.
Less than a week after returning home, Houston will open its home schedule against Miami for the second-straight season. The Hurricanes edged the Cougars, 139-103, in the duo's last meeting.
The following weekend, UH will travel across the city for the first of two fall invitationals. Crosstown rival and defending C-USA Champion Rice will host the Rice Invitational on Oct. 28-29. Nationally ranked Arkansas is among the high caliber talent scheduled to attend. The Cougars battled the Razorbacks closely when the two last met in January.
The Cougars will rest from competition in preparation for the Phill Hansel Cougar Classic Invitational Nov. 17-19. The home invite will wrap up the swimmers' fall schedule, while the Cougar divers will compete in the Texas Diving Invitational in Austin, Texas on Dec. 1-3.
Again this season, UH will begin the New Year with its Holiday Training Meet in Honolulu, Hawaii. The University of Hawaii and Wisconsin, who completed the season with a No. 17 ranking, will step up the level of competition as the Cougars gear up for the spring. The trip highlights the intense training that takes place between the fall and spring schedules.
"I'm excited to go out to Hawaii and wrap up our training by facing Hawaii and Wisconsin, two very high profile programs," Busch said. "This is a training-based sport so you have to always be on top of it. It's a grind. Our season starts in October and ends in March, but really it's an 11-12 month season."
The Cougars will conclude a busy January by welcoming nationally ranked opponents SMU and Texas to the CRWC on Jan. 21 and Jan. 25, respectively. The matchup against the Longhorns will mark the Cougars' fourth annual Sprint for the Cure meet. Last year, UH raised more than $1,000 to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
C-USA members Rice, Tulane and SEC power LSU will provide the final tune up prior to the C-USA Championships when the trio of teams travel to the CRWC for a two-day meet, Jan. 27-28. The four teams squared off against each other a year ago in Baton Rouge, La. Houston defeated Rice and Tulane, but fell to meet host, LSU. The Tigers ended the year ranked No. 18.
Houston will claim its familiar role as the conference championship host, but will do so a week earlier in 2012 as the league meet is scheduled for Feb. 15-18. NCAA action starts March 9-11 at the Zone Diving Championships. The NCAA Championships are set for March 15-17 in Auburn, Ala.
