Swimming and Diving Announces Complete 2015-16 Schedule

August 03 | Women's Swimming & Diving

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Complete 2015-16 Swimming and Diving Schedule

AKRON, Ohio – The Akron swimming and diving team will look to make it three-straight Mid-American Conference championships when it opens the 2015-16 season this October.

The Zips will play host to a pair of home meets, in addition to the annual Zippy Invitational, at Ocasek Natatorium.

"I am very excited about our schedule this year," head coach Brian Peresie said. "As we look to build upon two very successful seasons, this schedule provides us with the opportunities and balance we will need to continue moving the program forward."

UA will open the season with its Blue and Gold Intrasquad Scrimmage on Friday, Sept. 25, before welcoming back a number of alumni for the Alumni Meet on Saturday, Oct. 3. The intrasqaud scrimmage is set to begin at 5 p.m. ET while the alumni meet will begin at 10 a.m.

The Zips officially open the season on Friday, Oct. 16, at the Tom Stubbs Relays in Bowling Green, Ohio. Akron will then return home on Friday, Oct. 23, to play host to MAC foes Toledo and Ball State. The squad will conclude the month at Ohio on Friday, Oct. 30.

Akron will compete just once in the month of November, traveling north on I-77 for the Magnus Cup Invitational in Cleveland (Nov. 20-22). UA finished second in last year's event.

The Zips will close out 2015 with the Zippy Invitational, set for December 4-6 at Ocasek Natatorium. The squad led wire-to-wire to take home the team title in 2014.

UA opens 2016 with four events in January, beginning with a road match at Youngstown State on January 16. The Zips will play host to Eastern Michigan on January 23 in its final home event of the season before closing out the month at Xavier (Jan. 29) and at Miami (Ohio) (Jan. 30).

The Zips will travel to Columbus, Ohio, for the Ohio State Winter Invite (Feb. 12-13) before traveling to Bowling Green, Ohio, for the 2016 MAC Championships. The Zips will look to become the first school since Miami (Ohio) (2002-05) to win three or more consecutive MAC titles.

Akron will play host to the Lake Erie Swimming Senior Championship March 4-6, while looking to send a number of divers to the NCAA Diving Zone meet in West Lafayette, Ind. (March 10-12).

The Zips return 22 letterwinners from last year's championship team. Leading the way will be Zips Hannah Raspopovich, Erin Seiler, Laura Savariau, Paloma Marrero Munoz and Luka Szynal. All five student-athletes posted times under the U.S. Olympic Trials standards over the summer, including Raspopovich in the 50 Free (26.08), Seiler in the 100 Fly (1:00.77), Savariau in the 200 Back (2:16.35), Marrero in the 200 Breast (2:33.38) and Szynal in the 100 Back (1:02.18) and 200 Back (2:14.24).

"We have a very strong group of returners especially in our senior class," Peresie said. "Their ability to relate past experiences to our upcoming season will be crucial as we look to extend our season beyond the conference championships. With five swimmers dipping under the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials standards this summer, as well as a group of very talented divers, I am very excited to be part of what could be a very special season for the Lady Zips."

2015-16 Swimming and Diving Schedule
Sept. 25 – Blue & Gold Intrasquad Meet
Oct. 3 – Alumni Meet
Oct. 16 – Tom Stubbs Relays (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Oct. 23 – Toledo/Ball State
Oct. 30 – Ohio (Athens, Ohio)
Nov. 20-22 – Magnus Cup Invitational (Cleveland, Ohio)
Dec. 4-6 – Zippy Invitational
Jan. 16 – Youngstown State (Youngstown, Ohio)
Jan. 23 – Eastern Michigan
Jan. 29 – Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Jan. 30 – Miami (Ohio) (Oxford, Ohio)
Feb. 12-13 – Ohio State Winter Invite (Columbus, Ohio)
Feb. 24-27 – MAC Championships (Bowling Green, Ohio)
March 4-6 – LESI Championships
March 10-12 – NCAA Diving Zones (West Lafayette, Ind.)
March 17-19 – NCAA Championships (Atlanta, Ga.)