The LSU women’s swimming and diving team is pulling double duty this weekend, with a Friday evening meet at Tulane and a home meet the following day against North Carolina State.

With less than 24 hours and more than 80 miles between meets, the weekend will give the Lady Tigers a valuable look at their late-season schedule.

“Our [Southeastern Conference] Championships, we compete then we turn around and compete on another level the next day,” said LSU diving coach Doug Shaffer. “This actually puts us in a position for preparing and training for championships and national level competition.”

The Lady Tigers (2-1, 1-1 SEC) kick things off at 6 p.m. Friday in New Orleans and host NC State at 2 p.m. Saturday at the LSU Natatorium.

“When you look at the conference championship, especially with the new format being a four day meet, it’s going to be not only a physical challenge but an emotional and mental challenge as well to have to step up repetitively,” said LSU swimming coach Dave Geyer.

Geyer said he’ll use Friday’s meet as an opportunity to try new things with the roster to find the best possible matchups for the Lady Tigers later in the season, and he’s expecting his team to be challenged throughout the weekend.

Tulane heads into the weekend with a 1-1 record on the season and NC State’s women’s squad comes in after placing first in the All-North Carolina invitational on Oct. 6.

“There should be some challenging races but I’m putting some women in position where they’re going to be forced to race and try to win and respond from that,” Geyer said.

When looking back at what’s sure to be a busy weekend, Geyer said he’d be happy to come away with two wins and steadily faster times in the pool.

“With the women’s team and their youth and the maturity we’re trying to grow on it. Every meet is a learning meet,” Geyer said. “Anytime you can learn is great, but anytime you can learn and win is going to be better because it helps bolster that confidence as we move forward toward conference meets.”