The ASU swimming and diving teams hope to make one last splash this Saturday in Tucson when they wrap up their dual-meet schedule against UA at the Hillenbrand Aquatic Center.
Coach Michael Chasson said the team would use the meet to fine-tune its swimmers and divers before they head into the Pac-10 Championships later this month.
"It's race rehearsal," Chasson said. "We want people to practice swimming their races like they want to swim them at the Pac-10's."
The Sun Devils are looking to bounce back from a pair of home losses they suffered in January to Pac-10 rivals Stanford and California.
"I think the men in particular may have some success (Saturday)," Chasson said. "The women are probably the best dual meet team we've had since I've been here."
The last success ASU enjoyed in the pool against its archrivals came when the men's team downed UA in 2002. Since 2000, the women have not won a dual meet against UA and the men have been victorious twice.
Entering tomorrow's action, the ASU women's team is ranked 15th nationally while the men's team is currently unranked.
Both UA squads have been ranked in the top 25 throughout the season. The UA men's team recently dropped from fifth to eighth after a loss to No. 7 Texas on Jan. 29.
UA women's team is ranked sixth.
Chasson said his squad wants to go down to Tucson and swim as fast as they can while remaining focused on its goals
"Our biggest meets are the Pac-10's and the NCAA Championships, depending on the ability level of the athletes," Chasson said.
Both ASU teams should be bolstered by the return of athletes who missed last month's dual meets due to illness. Chasson said the return of Trisha Tumlinson, the 2003-2004 Pac-10 diver of the year, would be something to watch as she prepares for the championships.
Reach the reporter at mark.saxon@asu.edu.
