Aug. 22, 2008

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland swimming and diving head coach Sean Schimmel is ready to start his first season at the helm of the Terps program as they announced the 2008-09 schedule this week.

The schedule is highlighted by 11 home meets, including the Men's and Women's ACC Championships.

Maryland will kick off the season with the Red-Black Invite in College Park on Oct. 10-11, followed by a meet against Johns Hopkins on Oct. 24. The Terps will battle alumni in a meet on Oct. 25 and prepare for what Schimmel anticipates to be two critical triangulars in Raleigh, N.C. against Duke and North Carolina State (Oct. 31-Nov. 1) and at Maryland versus North Carolina and George Mason (Nov. 8).

"The back-to-back meets with Duke, NC State and UNC will be very challenging," Schimmel said. "We are really looking to do a better job at winning meets compared to last year."

After a triangular with neighbors UMBC and Towson at the Eppley Recreation Center Natatorium on Nov. 15, the Terps play host to the Terrapin Cup Nov. 20-22.

The men will then travel to Navy for a meet in Annapolis on Dec. 9, before the entire squad reunites for a training trip over the Christmas break.

The Terps return to College Park for the 2009 portion of the schedule with a quad against Villanova, Pittsburgh and Penn State Jan. 16-17. The women then take on Richmond and Miami in a triangular at Eppley Jan. 24.

Maryland will work on finishing touches for the ACC Championships with meets at West Virginia (Jan. 31) and against Georgetown for Senior Day in College Park on Feb. 7. The men squeeze one meet in between the two, when Virginia Tech pays a visit to Eppley Feb. 6.

The Terps will play host to the ACC Championships on Feb. 18-21 (women) and Feb. 25-28 (men). Maryland will also travel, if necessary, to the Last Chance NCAA Qualifier in Athens, Ga., March 6-8, in a final attempt to qualify for the NCAA Championships in mid-to-late March in College Station, Texas.

Diving Zone Championships will be March 12-14.

"Our main focus this year will be the ACC Championships," Schimmel said. "Having our best and elite performances at the championships and really battling the other teams to move up in the rankings is important.

"Through that championships it is our goal to qualify individuals for the NCAA championships and then produce some All-Americans at those championships."

The swimming and diving program returns 13 women and 21 men for the 2008-09 season.