UW swimming & diving wraps up its fall schedule at SMU Invite

* University of Wyoming press release

LARAMIE -- The University of Wyoming swimming and diving team puts a bow on its fall meet schedule this week. The Cowboys and Cowgirls travel to Dallas, Texas, for the SMU Invitational from Thursday-Saturday inside Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center and Barr-McMillion Natatorium.

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The meet will be the most competitive one of the fall season. Numerous high-level teams will be competing, and head coach Dave Denniston is excited to see what his student-athletes can accomplish.

“The athletes that are swimming are resting, they’ll be able to shave, put on a fast suit and see what they can do halfway through the season, time wise,” Denniston said. “In the past we’ve seen a lot of athletes, especially our young ones, go lifetime-best times. We’d expect to see more of that.”

This marks the first time Wyoming will compete at this meet. Last year, it participated in the very-competitive Missouri Invitational.

Whether it was last year or this year, the end-of-the-fall-season meet serves an important purpose. It’s the biggest stage the Wyoming student-athletes will see until conference season and it allows them to post a season-best or, in some instances, a career-best time.

“It’s a practice for conference, but ultimately, it’s for them mentally. They’ve put in a lot of hard work – some of them the hardest work they’ve ever put in, in their life – and getting to see the fruits of that labor is important,” Denniston said. “It lets them know they’re on track, and it really boosts their confidence when they swim well at this part of the season.”

The Cowgirls are two weeks removed from their most recent competition. They dropped a 169-131 decision at Colorado State on Nov. 5.

The Cowboys are a few weeks removed from their most recent meet. They downed Air Force 194-105 in Laramie on Oct. 29.

Following the SMU Invitational, Wyoming takes almost two months off from competition. It hosts Denver on Senior Night on Jan. 7 inside Laramie High School.