Jan. 5, 2007

HONOLULU, Hawai'i - The University of Houston swimming and diving team recently cruised to three dual-meet wins on Dec. 31 at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatics Complex during the team's annual winter training.

Although the Cougars were originally scheduled to compete in a relay meet on Dec. 30 and face South Dakota in a dual meet on Jan. 3, the travel schedules of those opponents forced some adjustments in the schedule.

UH enjoyed an 82-20 win over Hiram College and a pair of 78-24 victories over South Dakota and Minnesota State. With those wins, the Cougars improved to 12-3 this season and set a school single-season record for dual-meet victories, topping the previous high of nine set in 2003-04 and 2005-06.

The Cougars swept all four relay events in which they competed. UH's winning 400-yard medley relay team of Andrea Pa'lmai, Harmony D'Antoni, Doreen Polotzek - competing in her first meet as a Cougar - and senior captain Szintia Szanto claimed top honors in that event by nearly nine seconds.

Freshman Jessica Shamburger, junior Nicole Vaiana and sophomore Sasha Schwendenwein won the 150-yard freestyle relay, while D'Antoni, Polotzek and Szanto finished first in the 150-yard butterfly relay. Shamburger, Pa'lami and Vaiana competed on the winning 150-yard backstroke relay team.

The Cougar divers will compete at the Hawai'i Diving Invitational on Friday and Saturday at the Kahanamoku Aquatics Complex.