Dalhousie set to host the 2012 AUS Swimming Championship

Source: Dalhousie Sports Info

HALIFAX, N.S. - The Dalhousie Tigers swim teams will once again play host to the top university swimmers in the AUS conference this weekend as the 2012 Subway AUS swimming championships will take place at the Dalplex pool in Halifax, February 10-12.

A prestigious annual event, the Subway AUS swimming championships provide the community with the opportunity to watch a large number of high level student-athletes compete. In addition to Dalhousie, other schools participating this weekend include the University of New Brunswick, the University of Prince Edward Island, Mount Allison University, Memorial University and Acadia University.

This marks the second consecutive year that Dalhousie will host the three-day championship event. The reigning AUS champion Tigers, currently ranked fifth (men) and seventh (women) in the nation, have their sights set on defending their 2011 titles.

"The student-athletes on both the men's and women's teams take pride in the accomplishments of prior Tigers swim teams. They have trained hard to keep this tradition of excellence alive," says Tigers swimming head coach David Fry.

Both Dalhousie teams have returned with the conference banner in recent years (the women since 2002 and the men since 1999), making the drive to win even greater as the athletes strive to continue their team's winning tradition.

The women's swim team was the first in Canada to qualify a full team of 18 swimmers for the CIS championships earlier in January, and the men's team is still striving to meet that mark.

Simon Boilard, Bryan Fumerton, Robin Grant, Kit Moran, Matt Piggott, Chris Reith, David Sharpe, Cameron Shin, Dmitry Shulga, Joe Ur, and Kyle Watson are current qualifiers on the men's team.

On the women's side, the 18 women who have met CIS standards include Meagan Bernier, Michelle Campbell, Emmalina Corriveau, Paige Crowell, Julia Gow, Alison Grant, Rhea Hurnik, Mary Claire Lynch, Ceilidh MacPherson, Keishia Mills, Michaela Nichols, Audrey Prayal-Brown, Gemma Regan, Rachel Shin, Kate Webster, Molly Wedge, Leanne Wiese, and Emily Wood.

The CIS championships will take place in Montreal from February 23-25. (CIS championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/swim/index)

The 2012 Subway AUS swimming championship is free to attend and will also be webcast live at http://www.ssncanada.ca/.

Live results of each event can also be followed at http://www.swimnovascotia.com/online/index.htm.

Championship Schedule:

Friday, February 10
10:00am - Preliminary races
5:50pm - Opening ceremonies
6:00pm - Finals

Saturday, February 11
10:00am - Preliminary races
6:00pm - Finals

Sunday, February 12
10:00am - Preliminary races
6:00pm - Finals
8:00pm - Closing ceremonies and major awards presentations