Jan. 25, 2008
NORMAL, Ill. -
In its final meet before the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championships (Feb. 14-16), the Illinois State swimming and diving team will host Green Bay at Horton pool Saturday at noon. Ten senior student-athletes will be honored for their accomplishments as Redbirds.
Illinois State seniors Jena Allie, Kathleen Borkovec, Brittany Byrd, Kristin DeKeyrel, Tracy Deyell, Katie Janonis, Emily Richardson, Katherine Smith, Christine Steinbach, and Valerie Zaleski will be recognized.
Last season, the Redbirds faced the Phoenix on the road in a double-dual meet with Youngstown State. Although the `Birds beat out Youngstown (231.5-61.5), they fell to Green Bay (174-121).The `Birds enter their final dual-meet of the season with a 6-3 record. Green-Bay competes against Western Illinois Friday before facing the Redbirds and currently holds an 8-3 dual meet record.
ISU head swimming and diving coach Steve Paska is looking forward to the final home meet of the season.
"The senior meet has always been a special meet since I have been here," said Paska. "The athletes can re-live memories of what they have done for the past three or four years that they have been here. It is something special to compete at home at Horton pool and this meet has always been fairly special to us."
Paska feels Green Bay has a solid group to compete against in the last dual-meet before conference.
"Green Bay is a very tough opponent and they are a solid group of swimmers and divers. Ever since I can remember we have swam competitive meets with this group. It will be a very exciting collegiate dual-meet Saturday afternoon."
Head diving coach Phil Hoffmann is looking forward to what this meet has to offer the group of divers.
"This meet is a little bittersweet," said Hoffmann. "It feels like I just started this season and coaching Katie (Janonis). I hope to help her end her career at Horton on top. Green Bay has a good group of divers and they will give us a good look at top diving right before our conference meet. I look forward to seeing how the whole team will compete together as it is the last chance before conference. I look to see if the rest of the team can put together what we have been working on for the last half of the season."
The meet is set to begin at noon with the ten seniors honored before the meet begins.
