VIDEO: Jordan Taylor Previews Emory Invitational

ATLANTA, Ga. – The Carson-Newman swim team will travel to Atlanta, Georgia for the two-day Emory Invitational on Nov. 8^th and 9^th. 

The team, ranked 22^nd nationally on the men's side while the women are ranked 20^th, is looking to rebound after both sides lost in a dual-meet to Wingate on Oct.18^th and 19^th.

The opening day of the event will mark three weeks since Wingate and the team has spent that time grinding.

"We've seen some really good results with consistent training times getting better to go longer and faster in the practices," Carson-Newman coach Jordan Taylor said. "Any of the faster stuff we're doing off the blocks, kind of racing relation type work, we're seeing a continual improvement on times throughout the last few weeks of practice so for me the hard work's been going great."

The Eagles will of course match up against host Emory University, an NCAA Division III program that won the DIII national championship in 2017 and placed as the national runner-up in 2018 and 2019.

C-N will see Wingate yet again at this event as the two programs have now each taken a win from the other in their past two dual-meets going back to 2018. 

Bluegrass Mountain Conference rival Catawba will also participate.

"We are kind of approaching this meet a little different," Taylor said. "This weekend we're using it as a stepping stone towards our Tennessee Invite in two week's time. So, we're looking for less events for each athlete but a bit more focus on the execution of those races. We're not necessarily chasing the points as much but we're chasing season-best times, we're chasing event wins and relay wins at the competition this weekend."

One example of an Eagle aiming to improve their time is senior Caleb Howell (Easley, S.C.). Howell currently holds the 10^th-fastest time in the men's 200-yard breaststroke in the nation at 2:06.12. Not only can Howell climb up the rankings with an improve time this weekend in Atlanta but the improved time would also help bump the Eagles up the national rankings as a team.

"A victorious meet for me would be we have season-best times pretty much across the boards from the whole team," Taylor said. "We'd have a number of wins, individually and those relays."

Keep up with the Carson-Newman swim team all season on C-N's social media platforms and on cneagles.com.