Nov. 1, 2012
AUSTIN, Texas – The NCAA announced Thursday the selections of The University of Texas and the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center to host the 2014 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships. UT will host the NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships for the eighth time overall and for the first time since 2003. The meet is slated for March 27-29, 2014.
"We're proud to once again give our men's swimming and diving program the chance to compete in the NCAA Championships at our home pool,” UT Men’s Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds said. “The Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center remains one of the sport's finest competitive facilities, and we look forward to welcoming swimming and diving student-athletes, coaches and fans for this event in 2014. Our UT Athletics staff will deliver a tremendous experience for all involved."
Texas has won three of the seven NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship meets it has hosted. Texas first welcomed the NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships in 1951. The Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center played host to the meet for the first time in 1981, when third-year head coach Eddie Reese led the Longhorns to their first of 10 NCAA team titles.
The 35-year-old facility has hosted the NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships five times since. Texas also won NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship meets at the Texas Swimming Center in 1991 and 1996.
“We have tremendous support for our swimming and diving programs here at The University of Texas, and we’re fortunate to have great cooperation from our administration and athletics department when hosting a NCAA Championship event,” UT head coach Eddie Reese said. “The University has ensured that the Texas Swimming Center remains one of the premier facilities in the sport. Given everything the city of Austin has to offer, this is one of the best places in the world to have a swim meet. We will do a first-class job of putting on this event.”
Yale won the 1951 NCAA title at UT, and Stanford won the 1985 and 1987 NCAA titles at Texas. Auburn won the most recent NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship meet at Texas in 2003. UT has finished no worse than fifth place at the seven NCAA Championship meets it has hosted.
With a reputation as one of the fastest pools in the world, the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center has welcomed numerous national, collegiate, club and high school aquatics meets since it opened its doors in 1977.
In addition to six NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship meets and six NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship meets, the facility has hosted events such as the 1980 U.S. Olympic Diving Trials, the 1988 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials and the 2001 U.S. World Championship Trials.
“This is great news,” UT diving coach Matt Scoggin said. “Our team will really look forward to being in their home pool at the NCAA Championships. We always look forward to being at our home pool at the Big 12 Conference meet, and we’re fortunate to often have the NCAA Zone Diving meet at our pool. It’s a big advantage anytime you can have a postseason meet at your facility. I give my kudos to everyone who put in the effort to secure this bid. It means a lot to our team.”
The Texas Swimming Center will host the USA Swimming AT&T Winter National Championships later this month (Nov. 29-Dec. 1) before welcoming the Big 12 Championships from Feb. 27 through March 2.
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