The Kentucky Wildcats swimming & diving team is gearing up for a highly anticipated rivalry dual against the Louisville Cardinals this Saturday at the Ralph Wright Natatorium in Louisville. The meet will begin at 1 p.m. and admission is free for all fans who want to witness the action live. For those unable to attend, the meet will be streamed on ACCN+ and live results can be found on the Meet Mobile app.
This clash between the Wildcats and the Cardinals is expected to be a fierce competition, as both the Louisville women’s team and the men’s team are highly ranked in the latest CSCAA polls. The Louisville women’s team is currently ranked No. 8, while the men’s team holds the No. 15 spot.
One swimmer to keep an eye on during this dual meet is Kentucky sophomore Ryan Merani. Merani was recently honored as the SEC Swimmer of the Week after his outstanding performance in Kentucky’s dual meet against Alabama earlier this month, where he secured three wins. He currently ranks 25th in the country in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:43.28, and 33rd in the 400 IM with a time of 3:45.98. Levi Sandidge, another sophomore on the Wildcats team, will also be a key competitor. After returning from injury against Alabama, Sandidge currently holds the 16th spot in the nation in the 1000 freestyle with a split of 8:57.57, and the sixth spot in the 1650 freestyle at 14:44.89.
The Kentucky women’s team also boasts some impressive talent, with four swimmers holding top-50 times in the country. Sophomore Grace Frericks is ranked 27th in the nation in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:54.14, while Torie Buerger holds the 50th spot in the 100 backstroke at 52.79. Senior Bridget Engel has made her way up to No. 44 in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:00.33, and junior Caroline Benda sits at No. 50 in the 1650 freestyle with a time of 16:26.55.
On the diving side, senior captain Sam Duncan leads the way for Kentucky. He currently holds the 27th best score in the nation this season on the 1-meter springboard with a score of 370.05, and the 45th best score on the 3-meter springboard with a score of 383.93.
In terms of head-to-head matchups, Kentucky split with Louisville last season. The Wildcat women emerged victorious with a 168-132 scoreline, while the men’s team suffered a defeat with a scoreline of 200-96. However, the Kentucky women’s team has been dominant in recent years, winning five of the last six meetings against the Cardinals.
The order of events for the dual meet will include the 200 Medley Relay, 1000 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle, 100 Backstroke, 100 Breaststroke, 200 Butterfly, 50 Freestyle, a 20-minute break, followed by the 100 Freestyle, 200 Backstroke, 200 Breaststroke, 500 Freestyle, 100 Butterfly, another 20-minute break, and concluding with the 200 IM and 400 Freestyle Relay.
Fans can stay up-to-date with the Kentucky swimming & diving team by following them on X and Instagram at @UKSwimDive, and on Facebook at Kentucky Swimming and Diving.
