H20 Frogs Head to Houston
2/24/2004 12:00:00 AM | Swimming and Diving
Feb. 24, 2004
The Horned Frogs travel to Houston this week for their biggest team meet of the year: Conference USA Championships and Invite. The men hope to repeat their win of the invite, making it the third season in a row for TCU to bring home the trophy. The women hope to improve on their third place finish from last year.
Both teams have a great chance for success, as the women dominate the freestyle events throughout the conference, while the TCU men's name blanket the top-ten charts. The teams head into the C-USA Chamionships and Invite with two of the best records the Frogs have ever managed: the women a 12-1 mark and the men a 9-2 mark.
Houston's facilities are some of the finest in the country, with a brand new natatorium and diving center. Coach Richard Sybesma expects nothing less than TCU dominance in the fast pool, and the teams hope to fulfill all his expectations. The women face off against league foes for only the second time of the season while the men go head to head for the first time.
*Craig Chapman ranked 22nd in the 200 back at last count, according to collegeswimming.com.
*Erin Irons entered her senior year with more school records than any other swimmer in history. She owns seven: the 50, 100, 200 free, the 200 medley relay, and the 200, 400, and 800 free relays. Presently, she owns the C-USA-best times in the 50 and 100 free, the 100 back, and the 200 free relay.
*The Horned Frogs swept the C-USA swimmer and diver of the week awards three times this season. Keleigh Wentworth and Kelly Seely monopolized it together twice, while Seely teamed with Erin Irons for the third time. Wentworth, unwilling to relinquish her spot atop the C-USA swimming world, has also earned Conference USA Swimmer of the Week for a third time on her own.
*Every year, the Texas Invitational showcases some of the fastest swimmers in the nation, and this year was no different, as each event featured at least ten NCAA B-cut or higher qualifiers. TCU held its own, making the B-cut in 15 individual events and three relays between the men and the women. Craig Chapman and Erin Irons went one step further, making the NCAA consolation cut in one event apiece. The 18 events are the most the Horned Frogs have ever tallied in one season.
*Although this year may be senior Collin Sandifer's last collegiate season, he made sure to find someone to fill his Horned Frog shoes. Younger sister Karen joins the Frogs for her freshman season, and she is already making waves, sitting at the top of the 200 free conference list.
*The TCU swimming and diving team has declared its motto "Compete like a CHAMP" in honor of junior Lisa Champ, an All-Conference USA swimmer, who underwent open-heart surgery early this season. In her recovery process, Champ still very much remains an active member of the team.
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