TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University swimming and diving teams travel to local rival UMBC for a dual meet on Saturday. The meet is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in the UMBC Aquatic Complex.
 
The Series
This will be the first meeting between Towson and UMBC since the 2011-12 season when the men fell 171-114 and the women won 164-136. The Tiger and Retriever men have faced off 22 previous times with UMBC holding a 20-2 series advantage. Between the Towson and Retriever women, this will be the 21^st meeting. UMBC has won 14 of those previous matchups.
 
Leading the Nation
Towson has times that rank in the top 50 among Division I swimmers for multiple events. Jack Saunderson ranks 12^th among all Division I men for the 100-yard butterfly (48.29) and 24^th for the 200-yard butterfly (1:50.25). Stefan Keller's time of 4:07.56 in the 400-yard individual medley is at the No. 37 spot. Among the Division I men's relay teams, the Tigers' 200-yard freestyle relay from the Penn State meet (1:27.04) ranks 28^th.
 
On the women's side, Jacy Icard ranks 44^th in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 55.95. The Tiger women had two relays from the Georgetown meet earn spots in the top 50 for Division I women. The 200-yard freestyle relay (1:37.75) is at the No. 46 spot while the 400-yard medley relay (3:55.23) is at No. 39.
 
Mid-Major Rankings
The Tiger squads continue to be ranked in the CollegeSwimming Division I Mid-Major poll. The men's team is No. 27 and the women are No. 40.
 
UMBC is ranked on both CollegeSwimming's Division I and Division I Mid-Major poll. The men are No. 26 among all Division I programs and fourth on the mid-major poll. UMBC's women are ranked No. 49 in Division I and No. 16 in Division I Mid-Major.
 
I'm Honored
The honors continue to roll in for the Tiger squad as two student-athletes were recognized for their performances against Georgetown. Emily Wilson was tabbed as Towson's Female Student-Athlete of the Week. She is the first female diver in 2016-17 to win the weekly honor. Wilson won both the one- and three-meter boards in the Georgetown dual meet and recorded a career-best in the three-meter.
 
Saunderson was named Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Men's Swimmer of the Week for the first time in his career. He won the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard butterfly, along with swimming on the first-place 400-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay. His time of 48.29 in the 100-yard butterfly is an NCAA 'B' cut and ranks 12th in the nation.
 
Saunderson was also selected as a conference swimmer of the week by CollegeSwimming for the second-straight week. The website selects national collegiate swimmers of the week and a swimmer of the week from the 42 different conferences. 
 
In Its Home Opener
Towson defeated Georgetown in its home opener on both the men's and women's side last weekend. The Tiger men won 171-126, winning 12 of the 16 events and recording 24 top three finishes against the Hoyas. Towson's women won 158-142 with seven event victories and 29 top three finishes.
 
Fresh Faces
Fans will see a number of new faces on the pool deck this season. The men's team added seven freshmen to its roster and the women's team added nine freshmen. In addition, the program has two new faces on the coaching staff. Ryan Hunt enters his first season as the Tigers' diving coach and Jaime Keily has been added as an assistant coach.
 
Reigning Rookies of the Year
When the CAA announced its end-of-the-year awards for swimming last April, Towson won two major awards for the first time. Saunderson became the first Tiger to earn Men's Rookie Swimmer of the Year while Wilson was the first to be named Women's Rookie Diver of the Year.