The LSU swimming and diving teams got their first look at their top-15 recruiting classes Friday at the annual Purple and Gold Intrasquad meet.
“For the most part, this is our first chance to see them swim,” said LSU assistant coach David Geyer. “It’s good for us to see them get out there and race a little bit.”
The purple team defeated the gold team, 132-92, in the meet. Teams were organized via draft several days before the meet started.
“We dominated them,” junior Hannes Heyl joked. “That’s pretty cool that we got the victory, but most importantly many of the new people showed off, especially Craig Hamilton and Mary Beck. They all had great performances. Records are going down this year, I believe a lot of them.”
Hamilton, a freshman from Edinburgh, Scotland took first in the 1000-, 500- and 200-yard freestyle events.
Beck, a sophomore transfer from California, took the top spot in the 200 free.
Kannon Betzen, captain for the purple and women’s teams, won both the 200-yard individual medley and the 200-yard breaststroke.
Betzen said she was happy about her performance this early in the season. She said she stayed in Baton Rouge and worked out with her assistant coaches.
“Last season, I did not start off so well,” Betzen said. “I finished up OK, but at the beginning I didn’t do so hot, so I was really excited that my summer workout actually paid off.”
Junior Jane Trepp, the gold team captain, logged a victory in the 50 free. Heyl won both the 50 and 100 free.
Other freshmen had strong performances for the Tigers. Sara Haley won the 200-yard butterfly. Freshman Amanda Kendall took first in the 100 free, and Jana Ruimerman and Nick Kunkel won the men’s and women’s 200 back.
“The freshmen really stepped up and showed us what they could do,” Betzen said. “That makes me and Jane so excited for the rest of the year because we are going to be fast.”
With the purple and gold team split, the Tigers admitted there was some trash talk between the teams.
“On Facebook, people posted things like ‘Yeah purple team,'” Heyl said. “There was a lot of that going on but nothing mean or anything.”
 
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