Conference USA looked a whole lot different in 2006 than in 2005.  The changes included the defection of Cincinnati and Louisville to the Big East, Saint Louis to the Atlantic 10, and Texas Christian to the Mountain West.  The moves prompted the newest of the major conferences to lure Marshall from the Mid-American Conference along with Rice and Southern Methodist from the Western Athletic Conference.  As with the Big East and ACC, the moves were a result of conferences' pursuit of television money from basketball and the Bowl Championship football and they've created some disjunctures in the conference.  For C-USA, the moves depleted the depth of the women's field and gutted a small but competitive men's side. 

This season offers just one change.  Tulane University, which had gone from start-up to conference champion under Daniella Irle has suspended swimming operations in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.  One thing that's not likely to happen is a passing of the baton to a new conference champion.  Southern Methodist has the talent few teams can match, though Hawaii, Houston, East Carolina, Marshall and especially Rice, have all upgraded their talent and in some cases offer more depth than SMU, but if you ask anyone out west (or in the Western Athletic Conference, SMU's former stop) it's not easy to catch a Mustang.

Southern Methodist
Head Coach:  Women: Steve Collins (18th Season) and Eddie Sinnott (21st)
C-USA Finish:  Women: 1st of 6 (women) Men: 1st of 3
NCAA Finish:  Women: 7th Men: 19th
 
If you were looking to start up a swimming program a good model would be Southern Methodist.  For nearly twenty years Steve Collins and Eddie Sinnott have produced success in the pool and in the classroom.  The 2006-07 edition should prove no exception.  With the women returning the bulk of their NCAA squad and the men welcoming an outstanding freshman class.
 
Despite the departures of Laura Pomeroy and five-time NCAA Champion Flavia Rigamonti, the SMU women are the prohibitive favorite to earn their 12th-consecutive conference title and remain in the top ten.  Nine returning All-Americans ensure that at least three-quarters of each relay returns for next season.  Rivals might think they’re seeing double when they take a look at those relays.  That’s because half of them are usually involve the Blackman twins.  Candace enters the season having posted the 5th-fastest 200 Free at NCAA’s last year while looking to make it back at night individually.  All-Americans Anja Carman (backstroke), Katie Roberts (distance) and Petra Klosova (sprint free) all return and will get a boost from Princeton transfer Katie Fritsch, and newcomers Angela San Juan Cisneros, Devon Callaghan, Justine Clark and Jamie Williamson.
 
Sinnott’s men have set their sights on another C-USA championship and a top ten finish.  The first goal is very doable while the latter will challenge the Mustangs to compete at a higher level.  The Mustangs return All-Americans Ian Clark, Alex Hetland and Luka Vrtovec and upperclassmen Michael Dmitriev, Justin Smith, Nate Clark, Brett Denham and Grega Plevelj.  SMU will look for big impacts from a recruiting class highlighted by National Junior Team member Maverick Smalley, Pontus Renholm and Jerr Merritt. 
 
'We are excited to uphold the long history of success at SMU” explains assistant coach Andy Kershaw who also reminds us that SMU hosts one of the top meets in the country – the Dallas Morning News Classic.  In January, the Classic will feature SMU, Arizona State, Cal-Berkley, Florida, Florida State and Northwestern.  It’s a meet Kershaw feels, “should prepare us well for NCAA Championships.”

East Carolina
Head Coach:  Rick Kobe (24th Season)
C-USA Finish:  Women: 2nd of 6 (women) Men: 2nd of 3
NCAA Finish:  Women: - Men: -
 
East Carolina enters the season following a pair of runner-up finishes in Conference USA.  The finishes, especially for the women who edged Houston by just two points, didn’t come easy and this year the task will be even more challenging.  Sprinter Rebecca Perry will lead the Pirates.  Last season the NC State transfer qualified for NCAA’s in the 50 free, one of five C-USA swimmers to do so.  Kate Gordon is the fastest-returning 200 IMer in the league.  A large freshman class will have to make up for the departure of four Senior finalists if the Pirates are to hold off rapidly-improving programs at Rice and Houston.
 
Because of their depth in a league that offers just three teams, the ECU men should have an easier task holding their position.  The Pirates lose no significant point scorers from 2005-06.  Greg Neville returns following a 2nd place finish in the 100 backstroke.  Chris Lubenau had a tremendous freshman year.  He finished 8th in the 50 free, 4th in the 200 fly, and picked up a ‘B’ cut in the 100 butterfly.   Gregory Connor is ECU’s top distance swimmer and Senior matt Donohue is a C-USA finalist in the sprint fly and back. 
 
Thirteen new freshmen join the teams this season.  It’s "one of the most talented incoming groups we've ever had," said Pirate head coach Rick Kobe. "They should enable to maintain our high standards and continue to do what we do best and that is win."

Hawai’i
Head Coach:  Victor Wales (2nd Season)
C-USA Finish:  Women: 1st of 7 (WAC) Men: 3rd of 3
NCAA Finish:  Women: 15th  Men: 30th
 
Hawaii actually competes in two conferences.  The men compete in the C-USA meet while the women are defending Western Athletic Conference champions.  In the year ahead Vic Wales has the Rainbow Wahine angling to repeat their women’s title and their men to challenge SMU for a C-USA title.  Though they swim in different conferences – their combined goal is to put both programs in the top twenty.
 
The women’s program will feature strong senior leadership with a small group of talented newcomers while the men’s team will be young, with only one graduating senior in the program which has Hawaii looking towards the future.  On the women's side Nicole Mackey returns for her senior year and is looking to final in all three events at NCAA’s.  Bache Atkins, Mia Broden, Claudia Barsi, all won conference titles last year and are looking to making the big meet.  Hawaii’s divers will be particularly strong on the womens side Megan Farrow and Emma Friesen. For the men, Greg Wilson and Nicola Xella are coming off great freshmen years and looking to step up and make NCAA's. Mats Wiktorsson is a returning All-American on the boards and aims to be joined on the podium by newcomer Magnus Frick. 
 
A dozen men join the squad including Drury transfer Michael Lewandowski.  Former Cal-State Bakersfield Division II national champion Grzegorz Mroz returns following a redshirt year.  Miha Grzina will also join the squad in second semester.  UH will also look to a talented group of freshmen including Victoria Tan, Karli Rice, Chelsea Huang, Emma Friesen, and Kelsey Blomquist. 

Houston
Head Coach:  Mark Taylor (5th Season)
C-USA Finish:  Women: 3rd of 6
NCAA Finish:  Women: 23rd Men: -
 
In 2005-06, Taylor led the Cougars to a 9-8 overall record and 23rd-place showing at the NCAA Championships. It marked the sixth consecutive season that the Cougars finished among the Top 25.  The Cougars nearly added a pair of swimming qualifiers and appear poised to make a climb up the NCAA ladder.
 
Szintia Szanto aims to defend her C-USA 200 breaststroke title and hopes to make the big meet.  Andrea Pa'lmai Became the first UH swimmer since 1996 to provisionally qualify for the NCAA Championships when she captured the C-USA 400 IM title.  You can’t mention Houston without acknowledging their divers.  Jane Figueiredo has built one of the nation’s best group on the boards.  The pint-sized Anastasia Pozdniakova and Anna Kiess return as the program’s top two.  Flyer Laura VanCleave had a tremendous freshman campaign and should contend for ‘B’ cuts this season.  Though small, the UH squad offers talent in every area.  The only question mark is a somewhat thin sprint corps.  The solid Sasha Schwendenwein will lead this group and if the Cougs can conjure up some speed, they’ll be able to do some more damage in relays this year.

Rice
Head Coach:  Seth Huston (4th Season)
C-USA Finish:  Women: 4th of 6
NCAA Finish:  Women: -
 
With only one senior and 14 of the 19 swimmers either freshmen or Sophomores, Rice boasts one of the youngest squads in the country but Owls' head coach Seth Huston says it also may be one of the best in some time.  That’s saying something considering Rice is coming off a season that saw three new school records and several new NCAA qualifiers.
 
Rice is especially deep in the backstrokes and 400 IM, but all of the Rice returners are capable of big-time swims.  Huston says the Owls are gunning for multiple NCAA qualifiers, “and relays are a sure way to accomplish that”.  Diane Gu’s been there and the Owls will need her to help get others there.  Britta Massengale made already had big meet experience and made even more strides this summer when she qualified for the World Open Water Championships.  Skylar Craig enjoyed a banner freshman year, leading a 2-3-4 finish in the 200 backstroke.  Jennifer Hill (400 IM) and Amy Halsey (100 back) also posted runner-up finishes for the Owls. 
 
Those returners, along with a trio of freshmen - Pam Zelnick (back), Erin Mattson (Fly) and Justne Lin (back) – have Huston riding high.  “We feel confident in that our team has turned the corner and can compete for a Top 25 spot at the NCAA's.  We have shored up our line up and improved our depth.  Our team cohesion is what has impressed me the most.”

Marshall
Head Coach:  Leonard Kraus (6th Season)
C-USA Finish:  Women: 6th of 6
NCAA Finish:  Women: -
 
Five years ago, Marshall Thundering Herd head coach Leonard Kraus was named the first coach in program history and given the difficult task of building a program from the ground up. Four seasons and two conferences later, Kraus must replace the program's first recruiting class that included three individual record holders, four-time NCAA Zone Qualifier Casey Mulholland and C-USA 200 butterfly champion and two-time NCAA qualifier Milla Kuurto.
 
Now, the Herd enters the program's fifth season, led by a veteran lineup, including junior co-captains Renee Lambert and Ashley McIlvain.  Michaela Sceli is the top returning performer with top eight finishes in both breaststrokes.  A trio of freshmen will shore up what has been an otherwise thin area.
 
"Even with our losses, I believe we are deeper and have the ability to be a better team," Kraus said. "It will depend greatly on this year's team leadership and multiple people stepping up to fill the holes left by Milla and Casey to see the `better team' idea fulfilled."  That depth will give the Thundering Herd far more scoring opportunities in the C-USA