Jan. 31, 2008

ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio swimming and diving team takes to the road this weekend for its final dual meets of the season against Xavier and Ball State. The Bobcats travel to Xavier on Friday, and then compete in their final dual meet of the season at Ball State on Saturday.

This Week's Schedule
Ohio at Xavier - Friday, Feb. 1 at 4 p.m.
Ohio at Ball State - Saturday, Feb. 2 at 1 p.m.

The Bobcats enter the week with a 10-1 record overall and a 5-1 mark in the Mid-American Conference. This past week the Bobcats defeated former conference foe Marshall, 182-131, and handed rival Miami a 186-114 loss. Ohio's dual-meet win against the RedHawks on senior day was its first in seven years (Jan. 27, 2001). The two wins increased Ohio's dual-meet winning streak to five and gave the Bobcats a perfect 7-0 record at the Aquatic Center this season.

Sophomore Chelsey Bower (Bethel Park, Pa.) paced the Bobcats in the two victories, recording five wins and one second place finish, on her way to be named the MAC Women's Swimmer of the Week. Bower becomes the second Bobcat this season to win the conference's weekly honor, joining senior Emily Wylam (Yorktown, Va.) who captured the award on Oct. 30.

Scouting Xavier
Overall record: 5-1-1
Head Coach: Steve Riegler (3rd Season)

Last Time Out
Xavier fell to Wright State, 159-99, in its last meet out. The loss was the Musketeers' first dual-meet defeat of the season. Juniors Alissa Schriner and Jill Winhusen placed first and second in the 200-yard butterfly touching the wall in 2:12.92 and 2:14.18, respectively.

Earlier this season Ohio competed against Xavier in the 11-team Zippy Invitational, hosted by Akron. The Bobcats totaled 1,588.5 points to finish first at the three-day invitational, while Xavier totaled 1,073 points to place fourth.

Scouting Ball State
Overall record: 9-4
MAC record: 2-3
Head Coach: Laura Seibold-Caudill (29th season)

Last Time Out
Ball State enters the week coming off a loss to two-time defending MAC Champion Eastern Michigan (167.5-127.5). Maria Gramelspacher led the Cardinals with three first-place finishes. Gramelspacher touched first in the 500-yard freestyle (5:09.86) and the 200-yard butterfly (2:06.34) and swam the third leg of the first-place 400-yard freestyle relay team (3:35.91).

Following this weekend's dual meets, the Bobcats will have a two and one half week hiatus to prepare for the 2008 MAC Championships in Buffalo, N.Y. (Feb. 20-23).

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Wes Liles is the swimming and diving contact in the Ohio media relations office. He can be reached via email at liles@ohio.edu.