Around Campus

A Preview to 2007-08 Texas Swimming and Diving

Michael Klueh| Photo credit Matt Hempel-UT Athletics

If the conclusion of the 2006-07 season is any indication of things to come in 2007-08, the Texas men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs will remain among the nation’s elite this season.

Under first-year coach Kim Brackin, the Texas women finished strong last season by taking sixth place at the NCAA Championships. And, with a roster loaded with talent, depth and experience, the 2007-08 Longhorns will make a run at another Big 12 Championship and a top-five finish at the NCAA Championships.

Texas boasted remarkable depth in its diving contingent last season, and all four divers that competed at the 2007 NCAA Championships will return in 2008 for 14th-year diving coach Matt Scoggin.

Senior Jessica Livingston won the 2006 U.S. National Championship in the platform event and further cemented her status as one of the nation’s elite collegiate divers by winning the NCAA platform championship last season.

Livingston added a third-place finish in the women’s three-meter springboard event at the NCAA Championships, and senior Mary Yarrison placed seventh. Junior Kathryn Kelly contributed an eighth-place finish on the one-meter springboard, and junior Kara-Jayne Salamone took 15th place to secure honorable mention All-America honors. In April, Yarrison captured the one-meter event at the U.S. Spring National Championships.

Junior swimmer Alexi Spann returns after securing sixth place in the 200-yard breaststroke at the NCAA Championships. Juniors Hee-Jin Chang and Jacqueline Martin-Lacey headline the sprint freestyle and butterfly events, respectively, and will bolster the Longhorns’ relays.

Eddie Reese returns for his 30th season at the helm of the Texas men’s swimming and diving program. With nine NCAA team titles to his credit, Reese continued his dominance of the Big 12 Conference last season by securing the Longhorns’ 11th consecutive Big 12 crown, which was the 28th consecutive conference championship for Texas.

Junior swimmer Michael Klueh returns after completing an exceptional sophomore campaign. Klueh placed fifth in the 500-yard freestyle, ninth in the 400 individual medley and 13th in the 1,650 freestyle at the 2007 NCAA Championships.

Senior Matt McGinnis, a formidable threat in the middle-distance events, secured All-America honors by taking seventh in the 500 freestyle at the NCAA Championships before adding a ninth-place showing in the 200 freestyle.

Sophomores Ricky Berens and Dave Walters will join Klueh and McGinnis to solidify one of the nation’s top 800 freestyle relays while packing quite a punch of their own in some individual events.

Berens garnered honorable mention All-America honors a season ago in the 100 butterfly, and Walters earned an All-America selection in the 200 freestyle and picked up an honorable mention All-America selection in the 500 freestyle. UT will get added depth from senior Caleb McDermott, who took eighth in the 400 individual medley and 10th in the 200 backstroke at the 2007 NCAA Championships.

Sophomore Mike Wong heads a steady corps of divers after earning honorable mention All-America honors in the platform event.

Admission is free for all home regular season events.

Matt McGinnis | Photo credit Matt Hempel-UT Athletics

Jessica Livingston | Photo credit Jim Sigmon-UT Athletics