George Washington University Athletics
Swimming & Diving Releases 2018-19 Schedule
9/14/2018 9:30:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving
Colonials open season Sept. 22 at CSCAA Open Water Nationals
WASHINGTON - George Washington swimming and diving has set its schedule for its first season under head coach Brian Thomas, highlighted by head-to-head matchups with three Power Five opponents and an October trip to Florida.
The men will try to win their third straight Atlantic 10 championship in the spring, while the women are seeking to continue their climb up the conference standings following a third place finish in 2018. The program will also look to be represented at the NCAA Championships for the fourth consecutive season.
"Our dual meet schedule presents some new opportunities while challenging our team to see how we match up with some high-level opponents," Thomas said. "Certainly, competing against two ACC opponents and a Big Ten team will be a great test for us as we prepare for the Atlantic 10 Championship and postseason competition.
"As always, the schedule is intended to prepare us for February and March while allowing us to develop the best possible culture within our team. In addition, we always keep an eye on long-term development outside of the NCAA season when it comes to preparing our athletes for national and international competition. With this schedule, we'll have the opportunity to compete against athletes that have experience at swimming's highest levels all over the world, and that will provide an awesome measuring stick for us."
For the second straight season, GW opens at the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Open Water Nationals. The 5K event at Lone Star Lake in Kansas will be held Sept. 22.
The Colonials' first traditional meet is the two-day FIU Fall Classic, which begins Oct. 5 at Biscayne Bay Aquatic Center in North Miami, Fla.
GW kicks off its dual meet schedule with trips to Penn State (Oct. 12) and Pittsburgh (Oct. 13). After that, the Colonials make their season debut at Charles E. Smith Center Pool, hosting Howard on Nov. 10.
The Buff and Blue will also be tested with three days in Charlotte, N.C., at the Queens University Fall Frenzy (Nov. 16-18) before wrapping up the fall with a two-day, women-only meet against Atlantic 10 foe Richmond (Nov. 30-Dec. 1).
Following winter break, GW preps for the postseason with three more dual meets. The Colonials head to Georgetown on Jan. 12 to meet the host Hoyas and American before traveling to Blacksburg, Va., to face Virginia Tech and Cincinnati the following weekend. They'll conclude the regular season on Feb. 2 at Revolutionary Rival George Mason.
The four-day Atlantic 10 Swimming and Diving Championships begin Feb. 20, at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. The GW men were dominant en route to a repeat title in 2018, claiming nine gold medals and 19 podium finishes, while the women showcased their continued progress by taking home 13 medals, including three golds.
The Colonials will again participate in the CSCAA National Invitational Championship, which will be held March 14-16 at Cleveland State. The men finished runner-up last year with the women placing eighth out of 31 squads from across the country.
The NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships starts on March 20, in Austin, Texas, while the NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships run March 27-30 in the same pool. The Colonials have recently been represented by Andrea Bolognesi (2016, 2017) and Gustav Hokfelt (2018) at the national meet.
The men will try to win their third straight Atlantic 10 championship in the spring, while the women are seeking to continue their climb up the conference standings following a third place finish in 2018. The program will also look to be represented at the NCAA Championships for the fourth consecutive season.
"Our dual meet schedule presents some new opportunities while challenging our team to see how we match up with some high-level opponents," Thomas said. "Certainly, competing against two ACC opponents and a Big Ten team will be a great test for us as we prepare for the Atlantic 10 Championship and postseason competition.
"As always, the schedule is intended to prepare us for February and March while allowing us to develop the best possible culture within our team. In addition, we always keep an eye on long-term development outside of the NCAA season when it comes to preparing our athletes for national and international competition. With this schedule, we'll have the opportunity to compete against athletes that have experience at swimming's highest levels all over the world, and that will provide an awesome measuring stick for us."
For the second straight season, GW opens at the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Open Water Nationals. The 5K event at Lone Star Lake in Kansas will be held Sept. 22.
The Colonials' first traditional meet is the two-day FIU Fall Classic, which begins Oct. 5 at Biscayne Bay Aquatic Center in North Miami, Fla.
GW kicks off its dual meet schedule with trips to Penn State (Oct. 12) and Pittsburgh (Oct. 13). After that, the Colonials make their season debut at Charles E. Smith Center Pool, hosting Howard on Nov. 10.
The Buff and Blue will also be tested with three days in Charlotte, N.C., at the Queens University Fall Frenzy (Nov. 16-18) before wrapping up the fall with a two-day, women-only meet against Atlantic 10 foe Richmond (Nov. 30-Dec. 1).
Following winter break, GW preps for the postseason with three more dual meets. The Colonials head to Georgetown on Jan. 12 to meet the host Hoyas and American before traveling to Blacksburg, Va., to face Virginia Tech and Cincinnati the following weekend. They'll conclude the regular season on Feb. 2 at Revolutionary Rival George Mason.
The four-day Atlantic 10 Swimming and Diving Championships begin Feb. 20, at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. The GW men were dominant en route to a repeat title in 2018, claiming nine gold medals and 19 podium finishes, while the women showcased their continued progress by taking home 13 medals, including three golds.
The Colonials will again participate in the CSCAA National Invitational Championship, which will be held March 14-16 at Cleveland State. The men finished runner-up last year with the women placing eighth out of 31 squads from across the country.
The NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships starts on March 20, in Austin, Texas, while the NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships run March 27-30 in the same pool. The Colonials have recently been represented by Andrea Bolognesi (2016, 2017) and Gustav Hokfelt (2018) at the national meet.
Players Mentioned
Breast/Fly/IM
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
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