July 5, 2005

WEST POINT, N.Y. - Army swimming and diving coach John O'Neill announced the upcoming schedule for the 2005-06 season. Seven home meets will be held at historic Crandall Pool as the Black Knights kick off their season with the Army Invitational and end the dual portion of their slate versus Connecticut on Senior Day.

"Our schedule continues to develop and improve each year, and we are looking forward to this year's challenges," said O'Neill. "We will have a number of stern tests prior to our December meet against Navy. Then in the second semester, we will turn our attention towards focusing on the Patriot League Championships and beyond."

For the second consecutive season, the Black Knights will face all seven Patriot League opponents. During the 2004-05 campaign, the men compiled a 6-1 conference record and the women were 4-3 as both teams set Academy records for Patriot League wins in a single season.

In addition to the Patriot League schools, O'Neill added several non-conference opponents that will provide stiff competition for the Black Knights. The schedule includes two schools from the Big East (Syracuse and Connecticut) and the Atlantic-10 (Massachusetts and George Washington) along with representation from the Atlantic Coast Conference (Boston College), Colonial Athletic Association (Old Dominion), and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (Marist).

The season opens with the Army Invitational on Oct. 21-22 at Crandall Pool. The meet will feature three visitors - the ACC's Boston College, Syracuse of the Big East and perennial MAAC champion Marist. The following four weekends will be busy ones for the Black Knights with three Patriot League meets as they open competition versus Colgate (Oct.29) and Holy Cross (Nov. 11), while sandwiched in between is a home meet with Lafayette (Nov. 5).

The final tune-up prior to Navy will come at home against the Atlantic-10 Massachusetts Minutemen on Friday, Nov. 18. The first half of the season will culminate with the annual "Star Match" against rival Navy on Dec. 1 at Annapolis.

The second half of the season features a Pentathlon meet in San Juan, Puerto Rico, during the team's annual training over the Christmas break. Upon their return to New York, Army will face conference rival Bucknell (Jan. 13) at Crandall Pool before hosting its annual Black Knight Diving Invitational (Jan. 14-15).

After hosting Lehigh in league competition on Jan. 21, the men's and women's teams will travel to the nation's capital for two consecutive days of competition. The Black Knights face American in their final league meet along with taking on Colonial Athletic Association's Old Dominion in a triangular meet Jan. 27. They are back in the pool the next day when they square off against Atlantic 10 member George Washington.

The final dual meet of the season will be on the home front for Senior Day activities against Big East foe Connecticut on Feb. 4.

The Black Knights will be making two more trips to Annapolis, Md., to compete at the Naval Academy. The first will be Feb. 11 for the Navy Invitational as Army prepares for the 2006 Patriot League Championships to be hosted by the Mids less than two weeks later (Feb. 23-25).

Army's men finished second while the women placed third at last year's meet. Following the conference championships, athletes who qualify for postseason competition will attend the NCAA Diving Zones, the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships as well as the USA Swimming Nationals. Two Army swimmers, Efri Ruthenberg and Jake Mentele, qualified and competed at World Championship Trials last year.