This homecoming weekend the Redbird swimming and diving team will host the Fighting Illini from Illinois on Oct. 24 at 6:30 pm at Horton Pool.
Last year the Birds traveled to Champaign and left with high standings and some personal bests in swimming. Returning swimmer Kyle Pullman posted season best times last year against Illinois in the 50 free (24.85) and 100 free (54.29). Katie Finan also recorded a personal best time in the 1000 -free with a time of 10.40.11 to finish.
Head coach
Steve Paska and the Birds are ready to face the Illini this weekend.
Illinois has a fine-tuned swimming team, said Paska. It will be key to see how the Redbird athletes swim in back-to-back meets. They will be going straight from Ball State to home to compete against a Big Ten school. This should help in preparing them for the Akron tournament.
The Redbird divers will compete at against Illinois and return to the road Oct. 24 as they travel to the Illinois-Chicago Invitational. Teams participating in the event include Northwestern, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Illinois and UIC.
Head diving coach Carly Weiden knows this will be tough for the athletes as they travel from Ball State to Normal and then to Illinois-Chicago.
It is a lot of stress on the girls, but it brings the opportunity to get out of practice and apply what they have been practicing for the past month, Weiden said.
The Illinois-Chicago Diving Invitational will begin at 10 a.m.
