Kansas hopes to make the grade at Kansas Classic

2016 Kansas Classic Meet Flipcard (.pdf)

LAWRENCE, Kan. – In charge of a team with 28-consecutive Scholar All-America Team recognitions, Kansas swimming and diving head coach Clark Campbell knows what perspective helps his student-athletes best grind through the long season. This perspective lets him paint the picture of the importance of the upcoming Kansas Classic in Capitol Federal Natatorium in Topeka, Kansas on November 18-20.
 
“We look at the entire collegiate swim season as a college class,” Campbell explained. “Our dual meets that we have throughout the course of the year are quizzes. The Kansas Classic is our midterm exam to see where we are halfway through. Our final exams are Big 12s and NCAAs. This is the midpoint, we’ve done a portion of our training, we’ve had a few quizzes and now we want to see where we are. It will have a lot of the same characteristics as Big 12s, but we’ll get to see the team in a championship setting.”
 
The structure of the three-day meet will mirror the Big 12 Championships with prelims and finals being conducted in each of the three days – Friday’s prelims will commence at 10 a.m. and its finals will begin at 6 p.m., with Saturday following the same time slots. Sunday’s competition in Topeka will be held at 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
 
Through three dual meets, including a double-dual with North Dakota and Missouri State, the Jayhawks are 3-1, good enough to earn a B-plus from their coach.
 
“We’ve been really solid,” said Campbell. “I’ve been encouraged by our first three dual meets. The way that we structure our program, training in and out of the water, and how we approach things mentally is based on the championship setting. We’ll get to see how we do this weekend.”
 
Kansas will host Iowa State, Nebraska, Northern Iowa, Arkansas Little-Rock and Northern Arizona in Capitol Federal Natatorium. This field of competition will provide man storylines for Kansas fans to follow. The Jayhawks’ can avenge a 101-198 dual-meet loss to Nebraska earlier this season. Iowa State will provide a measure for the team against Big 12 competition. Arkansas Little-Rock is coached by a familiar face, 2004-05 KU Senior Female Student-Athlete of the Year Amy Burgess. The former KU swimmer was a member of Campbell’s first team as Kansas head coach.
 
Capitol Federal Natatorium will not be short of talent and speed this weekend. Between the six competing teams, 12 top-150 times are held amongst the 13 individual races scheduled. There will be an additional five relays on the weekend’s agenda.
 
The Kansas Classic will be a free event open to the public.
 
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