Swimming wins first at Mizzou Invitational

The men's and women's swim teams set seven school records.

By Evan Glantz

Published Dec. 8, 2008

The inaugural Mizzou Invitational will not soon be forgotten.

In the three-day swim meet, the Missouri Tigers men's and women's swim teams set seven school records and came away with a win.

"We are going to do one every year," coach Brian Hoffer said. "I tried something a little different the last three years. It was kind of a dual meet format, where you go one meet on Friday, two on Saturday, one on Sunday. It's just too hard to get that many teams in. So then my next thing was to have an invite here."

The women's team coasted to an easy victory over the Iowa, Drury University, Southern Illinois, Kansas and Arkansas teams. The Tigers finished with 1,279 points and the Hawkeyes placed second with 927, but were never much of a threat to the Tigers. Much of Missouri's success can be attributed to senior Lori Halvorson, who broke three school records over the weekend. On Saturday, she beat her own record in the 200 Freestyle. Sunday, Halvorson broke the 100 Freestyle record and helped set the 400 Freestyle Relay record as well.

"I've been working really hard and trying to be consistent," Halvorson said. "To break through like this in the middle of the season, not even at the end, is a huge feat for me. It's just a really good feeling, the feeling that everything is coming together. When you look up at (the scoreboard), it's just like everything clicked and this big smile runs across your face."

While the women may have won with ease, the men's team had to work for the win. After Friday's meet, Missouri found itself behind Iowa in the standings. On Saturday, the team came from behind to take the lead. But on Sunday the Tigers held just a two-point lead over the Hawkeyes.

Missouri pulled away on the final day and edged over Iowa, 921-880.5.

"We didn't want to lose," sophomore Jordan Hawley said. "We were at home, this is our pool, our first invite. We didn't want to have that blemish on the Mizzou Invite that 'Mizzou's first year, they couldn't even win their own meet.' We had a talk in the locker room, and said that this is our home, our pool, so we're going to come out and win this thing."

Hawley did his part by placing first in the 100 Freestyle, with the second fastest time in Missouri's history. In addition, Hawley was part of the school record-setting 400 Freestyle Relay team. Even with the record, the relay team finished second to Iowa.

"I think the boys liked the competition," Hoffer said. "I think they liked having a team that was close. It kept them focused. They could really key in on the Iowa guys, and I felt like they did a good job. It was fun to be in a meet where we're behind, even it up after the second day, and come back and win it on the third day."