Texas seeks repeat of last year’s Big 12 title

The sixth-ranked Longhorn’s swimming and diving team seeks a repeat of its Big 12 championship this weekend at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center. Texas has not competed since its win in Arizona three weeks ago.

The Longhorns will host Iowa State, Kansas, TCU and West Virginia — the only other Big 12 schools with women’s programs.

Head coach Carol Capitani said one of the team’s main motivations is continuing the tradition of quality the program has established.

“Each day, during the week leading up to the conference championship, players will have a chance to come with an inspirational quote and have a chance to share with the team,” Capitani said. “It is a good indicator of progress made between freshman and senior years.”

“Nothing is for granted,” Capitani said. “We need to go win the Big 12. The best athletes want to be good.”

Horns chase 18th title in a row this weekend

The No. 8 Longhorns men’s swimming and diving team will look to claim its 18th consecutive Big 12 title at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center this weekend. 

Texas has won every league title since the tournament began in 1996 and has earned 34 conference championships under head coach Eddie Reese. 

“We have real good guys that buy into the program,” Reese said. “They know what delayed gratification is and work hard from September until now to prepare.”

After another strong season, the Longhorn men are favored to win the title this weekend. “This is a meet where you’re going to see real good swimmers,” Reese said. “You’re going to see a number of people that will be on the 2016 Olympic team, and when the NCAA’s come here, you will see a lot of them that are going to be there.”

This weekend‘s meet will feature the Longhorns, TCU and West Virginia, the only three Big 12 schools that compete in men’s aquatics. Texas claimed the 2013 Big 12 title against the same two schools with 985 total points.     

“We’ve got probably three or four good guys in each event, they’ve got one or two,” Reese said. “There’s going to be some real competitive races.”