By Nic Terrell

One of the sports that have been showing up and proving that the University of Louisville’s athletic department means business is the Swimming and Diving Team.

The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams put on a show against Xavier in the season opener at Ralph Wright Natatorium. The men’s team won 167-86 and the women’s team dominated in a similar fashion with 168-85.

The men’s teams dominated in the 200-medley relay with both Louisville men’s teams coming first and second with only 20 thousandths of a second separating the two teams.

The women’s 200 medley relay followed in a similar fashion with the first Louisville foursome coming in with a time of 1:41.51.

In exhibition diving, Louisville swept Xavier in the one-meter and three-meter board. Ray Preas put up an impressive mark of 347.40 on the three-meter board with Mack Molloy coming in second with an equally impressive 345.23.

Lindsay Gizzi would follow that performance with 301.88 taking first place in the women’s three-meter board. Gizzi would go back-to-back placing first in the one-meter board as well with a score of 280.50.

Samm Helboldt would follow Gizzi in both events placing second with a mark of 287 in the three-meter board and a mark of 273.68 in the one-meter board.

For the men’s diving team, Molloy would end up placing first over Preas with a mark of 338.93 to 318.75.

The Cardinals would go on to beat Xavier and host the 8/5 Tennessee Volunteers at the Ralph Wright Natatorium.

In this regional battle, the Cardinals would come out on top with the men winning 178.5 to 121.5 and the women’s teams would go on to win 157 to 143. Just like in the meet against Xavier, Gizzi won both the one-meter and three-meter boards with her teammate Helmboldt coming in a close second place in both the one- and three-meter boards.

For the men, Preas and Molloy would both finish in the top-three, barely getting beaten out by Tennessee’s Bennett Greene on the three-meter board.

On the one-meter board, Louisville’s Che Stephens finished in first with Molloy placing in second and Preas placing in fourth.

This year, the University of Louisville is looking competitive and ready to compete against the best.

The next meet for the men’s and women’s teams is on Nov. 8 at the Ralph Wright Natatorium at 3 p.m.

Photo Courtesy // Chris Carter, Louisville Athletics