Aug. 7, 2009

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Second-year head coach Sean Schimmel has recently announced the Maryland swimming and diving schedule for the 2009-10 season. The schedule is highlighted by home Atlantic Coast Conference meets against Duke and N.C. State and the seven-team annual Terrapin Cup.

"I am looking forward to my second season of competition here at Maryland," Schimmel said. "Of course our focus will be the ACC Championships and qualifying both men and women for the NCAA Championships."

The Terps open up with a pair of exhibitions at Eppley Natatorium with an intrasquad event on Sept. 24 and the Red-Black Invite (USS Meet) Oct. 9-10. Maryland officially kicks off its competitive season with a dual meet against Johns Hopkins on Oct. 23, a day prior to beginning its ACC slate with a triangular against Duke and N.C. State on Oct. 24.

The squad then hits the road for an ACC dual meet in Chapel Hill against North Carolina on Nov. 6. The Terps return home the next weekend for a triangular against intrastate rivals UMBC and Towson on Nov. 14. The annual Terrapin Cup runs from Nov. 19-21 as Maryland welcomes Connecticut, William & Mary, Villanova, Richmond, Towson and Navy to Eppley Natatorium. The Terrapin women seek a repeat title after capturing the 2008 Terrapin Cup. The Maryland men look to improve on their second-place finish a year ago.

Maryland takes off for its annual training trip on Dec. 29 and spend eight days in-and-around Delray Beach, Fla. The trip includes an ACC contest at Miami on Jan. 2.

The Terps return to College Park with meets against Navy (men) and Rutgers (women) on Jan. 9. Maryland then heads to Pittsburgh for a quad with Keystone State-foes Pitt, Villanova and Penn State. The squad rounds out its dual meet season with a match-up against West Virginia Jan. 23 and Senior Day versus Georgetown Feb. 6 at Eppley.

"We have a great dual meet season with some tough teams and I know our Terps will be up for the challenge to swim fast and dive great in season," Schimmel said. "I try to have a very competitive dual meet season to help prepare us for battle in our championship season. I think we have that set in place for this upcoming year."

The 2009 ACC Swimming and Diving Championships run from Feb. 17-20 on the women's side and March 5-7 for the men at North Carolina.

Maryland divers hope to land in the Diving Zone Championships March 12-14. The NCAA Women's Championships are March 18-20 in West Lafayette, Ind., on the campus of Purdue University. Last season, sophomore Annie Fittin and junior Jen Vogel both qualified for the championships, with Vogel earning All-American honors after qualifying for the finals in the 200 fly. The Ohio State University is playing host to the 2009 NCAA Men's Championships March 25-27 in Columbus.