Swimming and Diving to Host Kentucky in Season Opener

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Razorback Swimming and Diving Team are on the eve of beginning their 2023-2024 season as they are set to host SEC opponent Kentucky on Friday, September 22.

“It’s an exciting time. I like the way the team is coming together; we have pushed each other and we are excited to race a respected SEC opponent,” said swim head coach Neil Harper, who enters his eighth season at the helm of the Razorback team.

Harper is particularly proud of the team’s level of preparedness going into Friday’s meet because “the seniors and captains have done a great job getting the team ready for our dual meets.” Harper remarked that the Kentucky team is “very well-coached,” and “is not coming to Fayetteville to make our job easy.” Kentucky has been one of the top teams in the SEC in recent years, winning a conference championship in 2021.

Coach Harper’s respect for the Kentucky team was echoed by Abel Sánchez, the Razorbacks’ head diving coach who said of Kentucky, “They’re a great team and it will be good to see where we stand.” The divers are young: four freshmen and one sophomore. Sánchez said that he is encouraging the divers to “keep doing what we’ve been doing and see what happens.”

Sánchez closed his comments stating that “of course everyone wants to win, and we’ve got to take the right steps to make sure that we’re set up for the rest of the year,” and Kentucky should prove to be a good test of the skill and hard work of the Razorback Swimming and Diving Team.