Feb. 26, 2008

The Florida Atlantic University swimming and diving teams will head to Nashville, TN this weekend to take part in the Sun Belt Conference Championships. The women's squad will be seeking its third straight conference title in the three day event which begins February 28 and concludes March 1.

Trying to defend three individual titles and three Sun Belt Championship records from a year ago, senior Lauren Shue could be one of the top female swimmers at the meet. This season she has already broken the Sun Belt season record in the 1650 free with a time of 16:42.33. She also holds the top times in the 200 free (1:51.86) and 500 free (4:53.43).

Bianca Murphy will try to repeat as the winner in the 100 free. Last season she swam a 51.88 to win the event. This season she holds the second fastest time in the SBC at 52.08.

In the 200 IM, Lindsey Alexander will try to defend her title. She currently holds the fastest time in the event at 2:04.24, which is four seconds faster than any other swimmer.

Diver Lisa Thomas leads the Sun Belt on the 1-meter diving board. Her score of 280.20 on February 2 qualified her for the NCAA Zone diving meet and is the best this season. She won the title last year with a score of 241.65.

On the men's side two freshmen could make an impact at the meet. Matt Moran enters the weekend with the seventh fastest time in both the 50 and 100 freestyle. His times of 21.11 in the 50 free and 46.20 in the 100 free both came at the Georgia Tech Invite on November 18. Fellow freshman Michael Shimanky will swim the 1650 free, which he swam a 16:10.03 earlier this season on January 19. The time ranks him sixth in the SBC entering the meet.