They’re “ebbing and flowing.”
That’s how Coach Rich DeSelm described the mentality of North Carolina’s swimming and diving teams as they prepare to host the Texas Longhorns in a dual meet this weekend.
“Anytime you get to go up against a storied program like the University of Texas, it’s always exciting,” DeSelm said.
The competition will commence at 4 p.m. on Friday in Koury Natatorium as the No. 9 North Carolina men (4-1, 1-0 ACC) take on the No. 1 Texas men (4-0), the defending and 11-time overall NCAA champions.
The No. 2 North Carolina women’s team (4-1, 1-0 ACC) will face the No. 6 Longhorn women’s team (4-0).
“There’s always the intimidation factor, but you can’t change the fact that Texas is one of the best teams in the country,” DeSelm said. “We also can’t dispute the fact that we’ve been swimming really well and diving really well.”
UNC is entering the meet fresh off of a dominant performance against Louisville. Three Tar Heels received ACC Swimming and Diving Performers of the Week honors — senior swimmer Ally Hardesty, junior diver Jack Nyquist, and sophomore diver Elissa Dawson — and DeSelm expects them to once again rise to the occasion against the Longhorns.
The Tar Heels are going to need their depth to step up if they want to be competitive against the Longhorns this weekend. The Texas men’s team, coached by Eddie Reese, boasts 14 All-Americans, including four members of the 2015-2016 USA Swimming National Team. Reese, in his 38th year as head coach, is the only coach in the sport's history to win NCAA team titles in four separate decades.
“Some are arguing that this Texas men’s team might be the best college team ever assembled,” DeSelm said. “I think in every event they have somebody that’s faster than we are, but that doesn’t mean a whole lot for Friday. It just means they’ve got a lot of talent.”
