@CanesSwimDive Ready for Dual Meet Against FIU
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Miami Hurricanes swimming & diving team will battle crosstown foe FIU Saturday at the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Center in its regular season finale.
The Hurricanes, who split a double dual meet last time out against FAU and FGCU in Boca Raton, Fla., will then begin final preparations for the 2016 ACC Swimming & Diving Championships in Greensboro, N.C.
“That’s one of the big focuses – our eyes are set on the ultimate prize, which is the ACC Championships and hopefully NCAA Championships,” head swimming coach Andy Kershaw said. “With this being an Olympic year, we also have Olympic trials for some of our international swimmers. This is another great chance to prepare for that along the way.”
Kershaw said he has seen a commitment to detail from his team since the last meet, where Miami topped the Owls for the second time this season but fell to FGCU.
“As the ACC Championships draw closer, certainly the team is getting that much more amped up and honing in on all the little things,” Kershaw said. “After the last meet, we talked about everybody committing to do even a better job at focusing in on all the fine details both in the pool and out of the pool – nutrition, rest, hydration, and all of that.”
Miami has added incentive competing against the Panthers, who topped the Hurricanes by just a single point in last year’s head-to-head competition.
“Anytime you compete against a team – whether it’s swimming, diving or any sport – who is nearby, I think that adds a little to it,” Kershaw said. “You combine that with the fact that FIU has a great team, and they’ve been doing a great job building their program, and it makes for a good combination. I know both teams will be excited for it.”
This will be the last dual meet for two senior swimmers – captain My Fridell and Alejandro Gonzalez.
“Our seniors have been rock solid all year, but especially coming down the stretch here on the swimming end,” Kershaw said. “My and Alejandra have been totally there in every sense of the word, supportive of everybody and completely leading by example.”
Kershaw knows Miami must receive contributions from swimmers from every class if the Hurricanes wish to emerge successful against the Panthers.
“Looking at performances both in competition in practice, in our last meet, Julie [Suarez] was really good with two wins in the 200 free and 100 free, she led the way there,” Kershaw said. “Angela [Algee] won the 100 fly and was excited about that, but disappointed she lost the 200 fly – sometimes that can be better than a win. In the backstroke events, Roxanne [Yu] has been coming on really strong. Top to bottom, seniors through freshmen have been good.”
