For the second year in a row, the Gators swimming and diving teams will travel to the home of the Buckeyes for the Ohio State Buckeye Invitational today where both teams’ competition will include Purdue, Kentucky, Virginia and host Ohio State in the three-day meet.
Gators diving will get their first look at the platform this season, while the swimmers will have the chance to post NCAA qualifying marks in relays as well as individual events this weekend. Sixteen Gators have posted a total of 42 NCAA B cuts this fall.
Last year’s invite saw good results for the No. 5 Gator women (2-2, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) in a 22 point win over second-place Stanford at last year’s invite. And they will look for another big performance this year from senior Elizabeth Beisel, who picked up three wins at the meet in 2012.
Beisel has been the go-to swimmer for the Gators this year, as she has had to match up against the other teams’ best due to some depth issues, according Florida coach Gregg Troy. She got back to her familiar events against Alabama on Nov. 7, and now has five wins on the season.
The No. 2 Florida men (4-0, 3-0 SEC) weren’t as fortunate as the women at the invite last season. They came up a whopping 308.5 points short of winner Ohio State (1,306 points) to earn a second-place finish behind then redshirt junior Sebastien Rousseau’s wins in the 200-and 400-yard individual medley and as a part of the 800-yard freestyle relay.
Much like Beisel, Troy has swum Rousseau in events he isn’t accustomed to, acting as the versatile motor for the men’s team. But the redshirt senior’s impact isn’t only his racing. He has emerged as the leader of this very deep, very fast team, said Troy and assistant coach Anthony Nesty earlier this season.
But with a stout competition in the field this year for the men – No. 5 Purdue, No. 11 Virginia and No. 12 Ohio State – a win for undefeated Florida is going to be hard-earned.
Not that the women have it much easier. They take on the No. 4 team in the country in Virginia as well as No. 14 Ohio State and No. 17 Purdue.
Neither Kentucky team is ranked.
Follow Logan McGuire on Twitter @loganjmcguire.
