Video: Jordan Taylor Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Coach Jordan Taylor's Eagles are set to compete in the University of Tennessee Invitational for the second-straight year when they travel down the road for the three-day meet in Knoxville at the Jones Aquatic Center from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1.
Carson-Newman remains as the only Division II team that will compete in the Invitational. Following the 2017 meet, Taylor's troops faced the likes of ranked opponents in Duke, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Other Division I schools in attendance included Denver, Marshall, and Penn.
Over the three days, the Eagles compiled 12 lifetime best swims, 10 season-bests, and broke four different school records.
"The main thing me and the swimmers have learned is that we can mix it with some of the best swimmers and teams in the country no matter if they are D2 or D1," Coach Jordan Taylor said. "We really gained some confidence that we could go there and do what we need to do and that we are capable to come at the conference and national level. We deserved to be the only D2 program there and we are honored to have that opportunity once again."
Tennessee, Denver, Duke, Penn, and Penn State will all return to the meet this weekend.
This season, the Volunteers feature four athletes who were named to the USA Swimming National Team. In the national preseason polls from the TYR/CSCAA, the UT women were ranked No. 9 in the country with the men's side checking in at No. 12. Currently, the women hold the exact same position with the men rounding out the top-10.
Denver's men's team is receiving votes for the top-25 but they remain at No. 27. The Duke Blue Devils' women's side is tied for No. 25 in the nation.
The C-N men are ranked No. 14 in all of Division II as of Nov. 14. The Eagles have not competed since its home meet vs. Lees-McRae on Nov. 10 but have been well tested against some of the top D2 teams in the country during the Emory Invite which also to go along with its home meet against Wingate last month, a team they've faced twice this year.
"Every meet our swimmers are getting faster and faster," Taylor said. "This weekend should be full of excitement. A big reason we use this meet is its right on our doorstep. It's a nice facility and we get a lot of home support. We're trying too nationals as possible so I'm very excited for this weekend.
Preliminary swims are set to begin in the morning of each day at 11:00 a.m. followed by the finals at 6:00 p.m., the very set up that will prepare C-N for the Bluegrass Mountain Conference Championships.
You can view the full meet schedule here.
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