The men’s swimming and diving team welcome the Fighting Irish to IM Sports-West Friday for this non-conference dual meet. So far this season, the Spartan men have a 4-1 record, only losing to Iowa.
“I feel like we are getting better every day,” head coach Matt Gianiodis said.
Last weekend, Notre Dame (2-2 overall) tied their wins and losses after falling to Virginia Tech, the defending ACC Champions, and beating Pittsburgh during the tri-meet.
“The men’s team is very good. They have a first year head coach, but he has been there 13 years as an assistant coach and has pretty much been running their team,” Gianiodis said. “They have a lot of talent on that team.”
Senior John Williamson leads the Fighting Irish in the 100-yard butterfly and holds the school’s record for the 200-yard butterfly.
Earlier this season, the women’s swimming and diving team traveled to Indiana to take on Notre Dame, where they lost 182-118.
The single sex meets can be more physically draining in comparison to co-ed meets. According to Gianiodis, the athletes have less time in between events.
“You have to be on your toes if you have quick doubles. It’s a different deal but we will be at home so it will be nice. Our guys are used to using a smaller pool,” Gianiodis said. “It will be a real challenge but we will do the best we can.”
The Spartans are using Friday’s meet to prepare for the Northwestern meet, beginning Nov. 21 at 9 a.m.
“(The Notre Dame) meet falls at a weird time because next weekend we have a three day invitational,” Gianiodis said. “That’s really the main focus for the fall semester.”
Both the women and men’s teams will head to Illinois for the Northwestern Invitational. Northwestern, Truman, St. Louis, Chicago, and the Air Force women’s team will be MSU’s biggest competition. According to Gianiodis, many MSU athletes are from that area, which will give their families the chance to see them compete.
“Our teams’ main focus is more on next weekend than Friday but we want to do the best we can on Friday, too,” Gianiodis said.
The men will take on Notre Dame at 5 p.m. Friday, then both teams will travel to Illinois for the weekend-long Northwestern Invitational.
