A total of 13 regular season meets, including four on-campus at the Aquatics Center, highlight the new 2016-2017 schedule for the Rice Owls swim team.
The Owls open the 2016-2017 season on September 17 in Lawrence, Kansas, at the Collegiate Swim Coaches Association of America Open Water Championships. The Blue & Gray then split-up for two meets in early October, with one squad competing across town at the University of Houston Pentathlon (Oct. 7) and the other at the Missouri State Shootout (Oct. 8).
Rice hosts the first of two multi-day meets on October 14-15 with the home Dual-A-Pool-Ooza. In this unique format the swimmers are scheduled to compete against three teams in separate dual meets over a two-day span. The Owls welcome defending C-USA Champion Florida International, 2016 Summit League champion Denver, and longtime rival Tulane for the three round-robin dual meets at Rice’s Competition Pool. Dual meet start times are set for 4 p.m. on Oct. 14 (Friday), followed by 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Oct. 15.
On November 4-5 the Owls are back home to host the annual Rice Invitational. This year's field includes crosstown rival Houston, the Air Force Academy and Loyola University of New Orleans in a three-session format that follows a traditional conference meet schedule of events.
The Rice swimmers are scheduled to compete against some of the best in the region and face strong opponents all the way through the 2017 NCAA Championships in March. The schedule also includes away meets against nationally-ranked Texas A&M, LSU, SMU, San Diego State and C-USA foe North Texas. The Conference USA Championships are in February at the Georgia Tech Swim Center, the same facility that hosted the 1996 Olympics.
The challenging schedule that mixes ranked opponents, long-time rivals and new foes is not lost on Owl head coach Seth Huston. Coach Huston is starting his 15th season at the helm of the program.
"This schedule is going to be a tough one,” coach Huston said. “My hope is that we learn how to race and compete as a team early, and as the season goes on. We have some exciting opponents and situations - starting with the Missouri State Shootout and our own Dual-A-Pool-Ooza in October. Our San Diego trip will be fun and challenging, and of course we expect to be well-seasoned and fully prepared to compete at the C-USA Swimming and Diving Championships."
A year ago the Rice swimmers finished second in the Conference USA Championships. Three Owls went on to participate in the United States Olympic Trials over the summer.
