The LSU swimming and diving teams couldn’t best nationally ranked Texas A&M in the LSU Natatorium on Senior Day, but the Tigers’ and Lady Tigers’ individual performances were something to make a splash about – literally.
A sizable crowd of both Aggie and Tiger fans filled the Natatorium as the No. 19 Tigers and the No. 24 Lady Tigers honored their seven seniors before the meet, their last at home with both squads together.
Afterward, in an LSU swimming tradition, the seniors jumped from the top of the 10-meter diving board as their teammates looked on and cheered.
There was plenty to cheer about in a day that saw LSU sophomore diver Brian Gemberling smash the team record in the three-meter springboard with a score of 393.07 to win the event.
Gemberling’s last two dives edged him into first place by less than a point and into the LSU record book.
‘I was pretty excited,’ Gemberling said. ‘I wasn’t sure how it was going to go today ‘hellip; My confidence is as high as it can go right now after that.’
LSU junior Jane Trepp beat out Texas A&M’s Alia Atkinson in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1 minute, 2.01 seconds. Atkinson is the nation’s fastest swimmer in that event and was previously unbeaten in it this season.
The Tigers and Lady Tigers closed the meet with victories in the 200-yard freestyle relay, and a pool record for the men in a time of 1 minute, 20.23 seconds.
‘It was great to compete today against such a high-level opponent,’ said LSU coach Adam Schmitt. ‘Texas A&M has two very good teams. I’m proud of the way we competed all the way to the end. We had some good swim and diving performances today.’
Schmitt said the team will spend less time in the weight room in the next few weeks, along with fewer early morning practices, to rest and be at its peak for Southeastern Conference Championships on Feb. 17-20.
Trepp said she is already feeling the results as the teams begin the process of resting.
‘I feel personally like I have more energy,’ Trepp said. ‘I didn’t do anything differently than I do in other meets.’
Schmitt said he was proud of his team’s performance in the meet. ‘[Texas] A&M, they’re two good teams,’ Schmitt said. ‘It’s always a battle on the men’s side. I’m proud of our team for hanging in there and fighting until the end. That’s a good sign that we can do that here in our last big home meet.’
Next weekend the men will host the University of New Orleans in the Natatorium for their last home meet of the season. The Lady Tigers will travel to Texas to compete against Houston and Rice.
Contact Katherine Terrell at [email protected]