Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green Faces Xavier and Cincinnati at Grand Opening Invitational
October 19, 2006 | Women's Swimming & Diving
Oct. 19, 2006
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Falcon Swimming and Diving squad will open their 2006-07 non-conference road schedule at the Grand Opening Invitational and dedication of the Keating Aquatics Center on Saturday. The tri-meet will feature the host Bearcats of the University of Cincinnati, the Musketeers of Xavier University and the Orange and Brown. The Grand Invitational will begin at 1:00 p.m.
The weekend will be the first opportunity the Falcons will have to test their skills in both individual and team relay events. Prior to the tri-meet, the squad hosted the Tom Stubbs Relays in which they swam to top three status in nine of ten events against Akron, Eastern Michigan and Youngstown State.
"We are ready to go down to Cincinnati for the tri-meet," said head coach Keri Buff. "It's not only exciting to start the season, but we are also looking forward to sharing the dedication with Caroline and her family."
The Grand Opening Invitational will bear a great deal of significance to senior co-captain Caroline Keating. The University of Cincinnati's facility will be known as the Keating Aquatics Center after its dedication this weekend. The name will honor Bill Keating, Sr. (UC, '50) Both Bill and his son, Bill, Jr. ( UC '76) swam for the University of Cincinnati and served as captains during their Bearcat careers. Both father and son are also members of the UC Athletic Hall of Fame.
"I am really excited about the dedication for the Keating Aquatic Center at University of Cincinnati in honor of my grandfather," said Caroline Keating. "Swimming has been a big part of our family's lives. As a result of swimming scholarships, my grandpa and his brother became the first members of their family to go to college. What makes this event even more special is that I will be there with my Falcon teammates."
Keating, of the BGSU Swimming and Diving Falcons, has made a lasting impression during her tenure in Orange and Brown. She was recently elected a co-captain by her teammates, along with fellow senior Brit O'Conner and junior Jill Auer, and was named team MVP in two consecutive seasons. The Cincinnati native holds the school records in the 200 and 500 Free while ranking third in the 100 and 1000 Free and fifth in the mile.
Cincinnati will return 13 letterwinners from last season's 7th place BIG EAST contenders. Juniors Gerdien de Jong and Karen Brasier and sophomores Elyse Perez and Annelie Jonsson are the top returnees from the 2005 squad.
Xavier enters the meet after placing second in a tri-meet at Marshall. Jill Cooke and Elaina Suba each posted a pair of first-place victories for the Musketeers.
Bowling Green returns eleven Mid-American Conference scorers from last season's fourth place conference squad. Of those eleven, five swimmers have been awarded medals at the conference championship.
BGSU will begin a four meet conference stretch when they travel north to rival Toledo on October 27. The dual meet is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m.
