Huskers Set For 2003 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championships

After a grueling five-month regular season, the Nebraska swimming and diving team travels to Austin, Texas, this week to compete at the 2003 Phillips 66 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships, Feb. 19-22. The Huskers head into the meet after one of the toughest dual-meet schedules in school history.

NU faced each of the other five Big 12 swimming and diving opponents in the same season for the first time since the formation of the conference in 1997.

In addition, the Huskers also faced defending NCAA Division-II national champion Truman State, as well as in-state rival and D-II power Nebraska-Omaha.

The difficult regular-season schedule, however, has helped prepare the Huskers for a tough conference meet.

"I think, if anything, our tough schedule prepared us well for the grind of a three-day meet that we are going to face in Austin," Morales said. "We had many multiple-day competitions this season, so it was a trial by fire that helped us prepare for a meet like this."

Despite the tough schedule, the Huskers recorded three wins in dual action, and on Nov. 8, when NU downed Wyoming, 141-100, Morales recorded his first dual meet win at Nebraska.

"I think it was special for the team, to get a win," Morales said. "It was a breakthrough win for us, and it gives us a bit of satisfaction and a taste of things to come."

Morales is also pleased with the progress that the team has made since opening fall camp in August.

"We have made great progress in terms of our training capacity; doing things in practice that before this year, many of the girls had never done before," Morales said. "In terms of competition, we are more aggressive and are performing at a higher level of competition then we have ever performed. We are showing the poise and aggressiveness we need to be successful at this level."

The meet marks the last competition of the season for the Huskers outside of the NCAA Championships. The diving team will look to quailify individuals for the NCAA Championships at the Zone D Diving Championships in Austin beginning March 15.

For updated results from the meet, log onto www.TexasSports.com