PREVIEW: Swim & Dive Opens 2024-25 Campaign at Louisville

Thursday, October 24

Louisville, Ky.

2 PM

University of Tennessee

Louisville

PREVIEW: Swim & Dive Opens 2024-25 Campaign at Louisville

October 23, 2024 | Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving, Men's Swimming & Diving

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Coming off one of the best combined seasons in Tennessee swimming & diving history, the Vols and Lady Vols kick off the 2024-25 campaign with a pair of top-15 showdowns on the road against Louisville on Thursday afternoon at the Ralph Wright Natatorium.

The meet begins at 2 p.m. ET, and it will have live results for fans to follow along on Meet Mobile. There will not be a live stream for the competition.

This will be the fourth straight season in which the two programs have faced off in what has become a rivalry between the schools. This year's meet features a matchup between the No. 5 Lady Vols against the seventh-ranked Cardinals, while the men's competition pits the eight-ranked Vols against No. 11 Louisville. Last season, the UT women came out victorious against the third-ranked UL women, while the men dropped their meet to the 12th-ranked foe in Knoxville.

The Lady Vols opened the year at fifth overall. On the men's side, the Vols began the season ranked inside the top 10 for a second straight year, coming in at ninth. Both preseason rankings for the programs were the highest either squad since at least 2015.

Tennessee swimming & diving has plenty to be excited about this season after both teams had impressive 2023-24 campaigns and returned plenty of firepower. Last year, the Lady Vols tallied their second-best finish in program history at NCAAs, placing fourth overall and second at SECs. For the men, they had one of their best seasons in recent history, placing sixth at the NCAA Championships to mark the Vols' best finish since 2001 at the meet.

The men's roster boasts five Paris Olympians, highlighted by 2023 National Champion Jordan Crooks. During his first three seasons on Rocky Top, the Cayman Islands native won an NCAA title in the 50 free and owns 21 SEC medals, including six gold. He's garnered All-America recognition in 18 events, and he owns the program record in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free and 100 fly.

Crooks leads a loaded sprint freestyle group for the Vols that also includes Gui Caribe and transfer Lamar Taylor. Both also competed at the Summer Games this year. Caribe is the reigning silver medalist in the 100 free at the NCAA Championships and owns the second-fastest time in program history in the 50 and 100 free. Taylor was a six-time NCAA Division II National Champion at Henderson State. He won individual national titles in the 50 free, 100 free (twice) and 100 back.

Rounding out the top performers for the Big Orange, Martin Espernberger finished sixth overall in the 200 fly at the Olympic Games. He's the reigning SEC Champion in the event and owns the program record in it as well.

For the women, UT brought in the No. 4 ranked recruiting class, which is already making waves in the swimming world as freshmen Jillian Crooks and Ella Jansen competed at the Paris Games this summer. That's in addition to the veteran Lady Vols roster that returns Brooklyn Douthwright, Josephine Fuller, Mona McSharry and Camille Spink. In total, the women boast seven Olympians on their roster.

Douthwright owns eight SEC medals in addition to being a champion in the 200 free and 400 medley relay during her time on Rocky Top. Fuller led the Lady Vols at the NCAA Championships last year, earning seven All-American certificates. She finished inside the top five in all three of her individual events, including winning the bronze in the 200 IM.

McSharry is back for a fifth year after adding her name to the Irish history books. She won a bronze medal in the 100 breast at the Paris Games, making her just the second Irish swimmer ever to medal at the Summer Games and the first to do so in a breaststroke event. She's the reigning NCAA silver medalist in both breaststrokes, and she's finished fourth or better in seven of her eight events at the national meet.

For Spink, she earned three gold medals and four silver at the SEC Championships as a freshman, winning the 50 and 100 free. During her NCAA Championships debut, she won a silver medal on the 800 free relay and bronze on the 400 medley relay.