NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State swimming and diving team will compete in a dual meet at Missouri Valley Conference foe Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa, Saturday, at 2 p.m.
Saturday's competition will mark the Redbirds' fifth-consecutive dual meet this season, and head coach Steve Paska is excited about the competition his team will face at the meet.
"This weekend we are competing in our last deal meet of the fall semester," Paska said. "We started off at home, traveled to Florida, and now we are on our way to compete against a quality program in Cedar Falls, Iowa. They are 2-0 in dual meets and they have a strong team with valuable upperclassmen returning and a solid core of newcomers.
"This season, our main objective has been to try and go into each dual meet with intensity and focus, hopefully coming out victorious. Saturday will also determine potential relay spots and specific events for the upcoming Zippy Invite at the University of Akron at the beginning of December.
"There will be very meaningful swims at this point of the season. We have to get off the bus Saturday ready to race and ready to compete."
Head diving coach Phil Hoffmann is excited to see his divers continue to compete on the road.
"Northern Iowa has a solid core of divers," Hoffmann said. "I think this weekend will be a good contest.
"I am looking forward to seeing how, once again, the girls compete on the road, with this time against conference competition. (Northern Iowa coach) Lori (Meierbachtol) is very good at what she does. I will be surprised if her girls haven't significantly improved from last year."
After Saturday's meet, the Redbirds will have two weeks off before their final competition of the semester, Dec. 5-7 at the Zippy Invitational.
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