East Michigan News

Eastern Michigan University's swimming and diving team is set to compete against Ohio University in their final regular season dual meet of the year. The event will take place at the OU Aquatic Center in Athens, spanning two days from January 31 to February 1. Friday's events begin at 6 p.m., featuring one diving event and seven swimming events, while Saturday's competition starts at 11 a.m.

The Eagles aim for their third consecutive dual meet win and fourth straight Mid-American Conference (MAC) dual meet victory. A successful outcome would see them achieve a 5-1 record in dual meets with a perfect 3-0 MAC record for the first time since the 2018-19 season.

Head coach Derek Perkins' team is currently enjoying its best start since his inaugural season in 2019-20 when they finished third at the MAC Championships. The upcoming meet offers an opportunity to match their previous success from the 2018-19 campaign when they went undefeated in regular-season conference play.

Historically, Eastern Michigan has faced Ohio University 37 times, with Ohio leading the series. The Eagles have not defeated Ohio in Athens since October 26, during the 2016-17 season.

The team's recent performance includes a victory over Toledo on January 17, where Kiersten Russell and Abby Szadorski each secured three event wins. Nehir Oz achieved personal bests and qualified for national championships with her performances.

Four divers from Eastern Michigan have qualified for the NCAA Zone Diving Championships scheduled for March in Columbus. Megan Lupa recently joined teammates Malia Maire, Rebekah Knapp, and Ciara Wheeler as qualifiers.

Additionally, several swimmers have met qualifying standards for the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association National Invitational Championships (CSCAA NIC), including Szadorski, Russell, and Oz.

Eastern Michigan has been led by standout performances throughout this season under head coach Derek Perkins. They are preparing for nine regular-season meets culminating in the MAC Championships from February 26 to March 1.

Fans can follow live coverage of this weekend's meet through links provided on EMU's swim & dive schedule page or stay updated via EMUEagles.com and social media platforms Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook.