No. 23 Kansas Returns Home to Host Drury, Evansville
Nov. 5, 2008
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Kansas swimming and diving returns to Robinson Natatorium for two dual meets this weekend. The Jayhawks will host Drury on Friday at 6 p.m. and Evansville on Saturday at 2 p.m. The University of Kansas (2-2) is looking to rebound after losses to Big 12 foes Texas A&M and Missouri.
The Drury Panthers will provide Kansas with a stiff test. Last year, Drury ended the regular season ranked No. 1 in Division II. They placed second at the NCAA Division II Championships to Truman State by only 12.5 points.
“Drury is going to be a challenge,” said Kansas head coach Clark Campbell. “They almost beat Mizzou a couple weeks ago in the Show Me Showdown. They’re going to be ready. Drury always contends for the national title in Division II. They have a very strong team that is going to come in with the underdog role looking to knock us off.”
Following the difficult test with Drury, Kansas will then host Missouri Valley Conference foe Evansville on Saturday. Last year, Evansville finished in fifth place in the MVC and with a 7-6 record. This year, the Purple Aces are 1-3, but they are coming off a 56 point victory over Eastern Illinois.
“To me, Evansville is a special meet because Evansville is where I came from before I came to KU,” said Campbell. “They gave me my first shot at being a head coach in Division I. So I’m eternally grateful to UE for extending that opportunity to me. It’s going to give an opportunity to swim ‘off-events’ and maybe their third event for conference that they don’t get to swim too much.”
Several young Jayhawks are becoming major contributors to the team’s success. Shannon Garlie and Kath Liggett have been a couple of the freshmen that have impressed the coaching staff.
“Kath earned a lifetime best time in the 200 fly at Mizzou and I think she is really going to help us as she gets more acclimated to our program,” said Campbell. “Shannon has been dropping tons of time. She’s doing real well. We are led by our seniors and some of our juniors, so it is tough to break in to the lineup. But we do have a lot of ground swell coming up from your underclassmen ready to challenge.”
The Jayhawks will be back in action Saturday, Nov. 15 at 2 p.m., when they travel to Nebraska-Omaha for its final dual of 2008. Kansas will not return to Robinson Natatorium until Jan. 24 against South Dakota and Northern Iowa in a triangular dual.
