University of Tennessee Athletics
Swim Vols Set to Compete in Nike Cup
November 17, 2003 | Men's Swimming & Diving
Nov. 17, 2003
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee men's swimming team will travel to Chapel Hill, N.C., Tuesday to compete in the 18th annual Nike Cup Invitational at the Maurice J. Koury Natatorium. Thursday, Friday and Saturday begin with preliminaries each day at 10 a.m. and conclude with finals at 6 p.m.
"Team members are excited about going to Nike Cup," head coach John Trembley said. " It's a great facility, great format, and for the first time since I can remember, we're healthy as a team."
The Vols are coming off victories against Indiana and Kentucky, and they are looking to produce their best times of the season this weekend.
The Nike Cup Invitational features some of the best competition for the Vols each year. This year the competitors are North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Michigan, Kentucky, East Carolina, LSU, Syracuse, Clemson, Kenyon (Ohio) and North Carolina State.
"Our team always swims fast this time of year," co-captain Jamie Graves said. "This meet should be no exception. Our confidence level is high, and we're looking to qualify as many people as we can for NCAA's."
This marks the second time the Vols have taken part in the three-day Nike event. Last year, the Vols finished second in the overall competition.
"The team's very excited to swim," sophomore Casey Dauw said. "We've had good rest, and we have high hopes for the meet. Personally, if I swim anywhere as good as last year, I'll be happy."
Last year, Dauw won three individual events, and had four personal-best times.
The diving team, meanwhile, will be competing at the University of Houston Fall Invitational Thursday-Saturday. Competing at the new Houston Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium, the Vols will look to best a field comprised of Houston, Arkansas, Florida International and Incarnate Word.
Diving coach Dave Parrington is a 1983 Houston graduate and still holds the UH record for dual-meet wins on the one-meter board with 11. He coached at Houston from 1983 until 1990, when he joined the Tennessee staff.
"This will be exciting to be going back to my alma mater and to coach in a brand-new facility," Parrington said. "We don't really know what to expect going in. We are going down there to work hard, impove and compete."
Players Mentioned
