Swimming and Diving Set to Host Xavier to Open 2018 Season

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Looking to build on the momentum from last season's historic success, the University of Louisville men's and women's swimming and diving teams open their 2018-19 slate Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. as they welcome Xavier to the Ralph Wright Natatorium.

The swimming teams will get their first dose of dual meet action against Xavier. The Cardinal divers will compete exhibition as the Musketeers do not have a diving program, but all scores will count for NCAA qualification purposes.

Mallory Comerford leads the Cardinal women after winning her second consecutive national title in the 200 free at the 2018 NCAA Championships. Comerford also finished second in the 100 free at NCAAs, setting the ACC record and becoming the second faster performer of all time in the process.

The Cardinals return 11 of the 12 members from last season's fifth place NCAA Championship team. Seven Cardinals earned All-American honors in a combined 10 individual events, while all five relays finished in the top-eight en route to the highest finish in program history.

The Louisville men tied a program record with a ninth place showing at the NCAA Championships a season ago. Five Cardinals who earned individual All-American honors return to this year's squad, including all but one member of Louisville's five All-American relays.

Marcelo Acosta posted the Cards' top finish at NCAAs, placing fifth in the 1650 free (14:38.22). Sophomores Evgenii Somov and Nicolas Albiero also return after recording individual top-eight finishes at last year's NCAA Championships. Additionally, Zach Harting will bolster the Cardinals after gaining international experience at the Pan Pacific Championships as a member of Team USA.

The Xavier women are coming off a sweep of Saint Louis, Butler, Evansville and Eastern Illinois at the Butler Double Duals last weekend. The Musketeers won all but one of the 11 swimming events. Sophomore sprinter Emily Conners led the Musketeers with a pair of wins in the 50 free (23.93) and 100 free (51.64), while also anchoring the winning 200 medley relay. The sophomore duo of Emma Kauffeld and Taylor Hogan also won two individual events apiece.

On the men's side, the Musketeers picked up wins over Eastern Illinois and Evansville, but fell to Saint Louis 122.50-99.50. Alex Sironen and Ben Quon each recorded two individual victories on the day. Sironen registered wins in the 50 free (21.64), 100 free (47.71) and anchored the winning 200 medley relay. Quon took first in the 200 free (1:43.20), 500 free (4:45.31) and was a member of the Musketeers' victorious 400 free relay.

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Swimming and Diving Set to Host Xavier to Open 2018 Season

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Players Mentioned

Marcelo Acosta

Nicolas Albiero

Mallory Comerford

Zach Harting

Evgenii Somov

University of Louisville Athletics