Dec. 4, 2007

Complete Release in PDF Format

IRVING, Texas - Houston and SMU had divers competing at the Texas Diving Invitational, while their swimming counterparts displayed some impressive performaces at the Miami (OH) Invitational and USA Short Course National, respectively. Marshall was also in action at the Miami (OH) Invite and had many swimmers set both school and personal records.

SWIMMER OF THE WEEK (12/4)
JENNIFER BLACKMAN - SMU
Sr., Dallas, Texas (Highland Park)
Blackman competed at the USA Short Course Nationals in Atlanta, Ga. this past weekend, where she earned first place in the C Final of the 100 free (49.98). The senior also helped the No. 10 Mustangs to a third-place finish in the 100 free relay, finishing in 3:18.79. Blackman won third place in the B Final of the 200 free, touching the wall in 1:47.15. In addition, Blackman helped SMU to a fourth-place finish in the 200 free relay (7:15.87) and took fifth in the 500 free (4:44.48).

DIVER OF THE WEEK (12/4)
LACEY TRUELOVE - Houston
Fr., London, Ontario (HB Beal)
Truelove was the Cougars' leading performer at the Texas Invitational, which featured some of the nation's top collegiate teams. The freshman improved her finish each day of the meet. She scored 221.35 points on the platform to finish fourth and lead the Cougars on the final day. Truelove posted 253.20 points to finish sixth on the 1-meter springboard, which was also a team-best and she scored 238.60 points to finish 17th on the 3-meter springboard.

2007-08 WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS
O9 S- Angela San Juan Cisneros, SMU
O16 S- Brittany Massengale, Rice
O23 S- Amanda Duncan, East Carolina
D- Christie Icenhower, East Carolina
O29 S- Anja Carman, SMU
D- Audra Egenolf, SMU
N6 S- Sasha Schwendenwein, Houston
D- Courtney Forcucci, Houston
N13 S- Michaela Sceli, Marshall
D- Siobahn Schuurman, Marshall
N20 S- Jennifer Blackman, SMU
D- Christie Icenhower, East Carolina
D4 S- Jennifer Blackman, SMU
D- Lacey Truelove, Houston

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Conference USA will name a Swimmer and Diver of the Week throughout the regular season. The Athlete of the Week awards are selected by the media relations department and announced every Tuesday throughout the season.

2007-08 C-USA TOP TIMES
For a list of the top C-USA Women's Swimming and Diving times/scores, please go to: https://secure.sportssystems.com/ScoreReporting/cusa/sportID/1/g/w

2008 C-USA SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIP
The 2008 C-USA Women's Swimming & Diving Championship and Men's Invitational is slated for February 27-March 1 in Houston, Texas. The four-day event will be hosted by Houston at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium. All five C-USA women's swimming and diving programs will participate in the championship, while East Carolina, SMU and Hawai'i will participate in the men's invitational.

C-USA RECAP (Through Meets of Dec. 2)
EAST CAROLINA
East Carolina concluded fall semester competition Nov. 17 at the prestigious Nike Cup in Chapel Hill, N.C. There were more than 50 finals performances by the Pirates during the event highlighted by senior Christie Icenhower's individual championship performance.

Icenhower took home first place honors in the three-meter diving events by setting a new ECU varsity record with a score of 336.65. Icenhower has qualified for the NCAA Zone Regional Championships for a third consecutive season.

The 200-yard free relay team of Rebecca Perry, Jenna Stewart, Amanda Duncan and Alli Miller set a varsity record at the event as well with a time of 1:34.69.

Perry has also made her NCAA `B' time in 100-yard freestyle over the weekend. She previously registered a `B' cut in the 50-yard freestyle earlier in the year against Towson.

East Carolina returns to dual meet competition against UMBC on January 19. The Pirates host their next dual meet at Minges Natatorium on January 26 against Duke.

HOUSTON
Houston freshman Lacey Truelove scored 221.35 points to finish fourth on the platform and lead the Cougar diving team during the final day of the Texas Invitational at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.

It was the second straight day that the London, Ontario, native led the Cougars after finishing sixth on the 1-meter springboard on Friday.

Senior captain Ginni van Katwijk placed sixth with 210.55 points, while freshman Courtney Forcucci placed 11th with 190.55 points.

Despite not having their swimming counterparts with them, the Cougars finished 12th in the team standings with 40 points.

Meanwhile, the Cougar swimming team competed during the final day of the Miami (Ohio) Invitational at the Corwin Nixon Natatorium on Saturday, finishing with 551 points. The team took 9th place out of 16 teams.

Sasha Schwendenwein recorded two individual wins for the Cougars.

The Cougars will take nearly a month off before continuing their winter training at 5 p.m., Dec. 31, at the Hawai'i Relay Meet in Honolulu, Hawai'i. UH also will square off against an opponent to be determined on Jan. 4 in Honolulu.

MARSHALL
Marshall set several new season bests Thursday as competition got underway on day one of the Miami Invitaional.

In the freestyle mile a pair of Herd swimmers set new bests. Senior Ashley McIlvain led the group with, while Sophomore Jenny Johnsson set a new lifetime-best in the event, clocking in at 17:44.44.

The 800-freestyle team also set a season best with a time 7:55.90.

On day two, senior breaststroker Michaela Sceli set a school record in the 100-yard breaststroke for the second time this season with a time of 1:04.17 on her way to a second-place finish. Fellow senior Erin Hill also set a season-best in the event, finishing in 1:08.33.

A day after breaking her own school record in the 100-yard breaststroke Sceli broke her Marshall best of 2:20.71 in the 200 breast record with a time of 2:19.54 Saturday. Senior Lauren Goodwin also set a lifetime-best in the event, clocking in at 2:24.39.

Marshall returns to the pool December 18 as they will battle Toledo and Towson in Orlando, Fla.

RICE
Senior Brittany Massengale set a quick early pace and then added to her winning margin of victory on the way to taking first place in the 1,650-yard freestyle on the third and final day of competition at the prestigious Nike Cup Saturday evening at the Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool in Long Beach, Calif.

As a team Rice finished fourth overall with a final total of 727 points. The Owls managed to close the gap on third place with some strong showings in the distance and backstroke events and the foursome of Carlyann Miller, Keri Hyde, Pam Zelnick and Diane Gu took second place in the 400-freestyle relay and finished ahead of 38 other teams from 21 schools at the meet.

In Massengale's first time to race in the mile this season, the Alma, Ark., native posted an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 16:37.65 to win the rugged distance race over 60 other competitors entered in the event. Her time was just two seconds off her school record.

Not only did Massengale finish a convincing 30 seconds ahead of second place, she sparked a Rice charge in the event as Owl swimmers claimed three of the top nine spots and five of the top 23 places.

The Owls will next be in action when they hostNo. 6 Texas A&M in a dual meet in Houston on January 11.

SMU
Members of the No. 10 SMU women's swimming and diving team competed at the 2007 USA Swimming Short Course Nationals Thursday. Mustangs Jennifer Blackman, Candace Blackman and Angela San Juan Cisneros each swam in the first day of competition.

C. Blackman finished tied for 14th in the qualifying heats of the 50 free, while San Juan Cisneros came in 20th. Both women advanced to the finals in the event. J. Blackman finished fifth in the qualifying heat of the 500 free, earning her a spot in the finals as well.

In the second day of competition SMU continued its dominant performances. San Juan Cisneros touched the wall in 54.57 in the 100 fly, taking seventh place in the C final. J. Blackman finished third in the 200 free in the B final, clocking a time of 1:47.15, while C, Blackman finished sixth in the B final, stopping the clock in 1:47.47.

SMU had another successful day of competition on Saturday, as they concluded the USA Short Course Nationals.

Individually, the Mustangs turned in strong performances, as J. Blackman took first in the C final of the 100 free, touching the wall in 49.48. Just behind her, Petra Klosova finished second in the C Final in 49.79. SMU also took fourth in the C final with C. Blackman stopping the clock at 49.91.

The Mustangs also raced in the 4x100 free relay. C. Blackman, J. Blackman, Klosova and San Juan Cisneros took to the water for SMU and finished third, touching the wall in 3:18.79, less than three seconds behind the first place finishers.

The Mustangs will return to the water on after the holidays on January 12, when the travel to College Station, Texas to take on nationally-ranked Texas A&M and Auburn.