Feb. 2, 2004

OXFORD, Ohio -

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This Week: Miami University's men's swimming and diving team returns home for a first-place showdown with Eastern Michigan at the Nixon Aquatic Center, Saturday, Feb. 7, at 1 p.m. The RedHawks and Eagles have identical records at 6-3 overall and 3-0 in conference action.

Last Time Out: The Red and White remained in first place with a 138-105 win over conference foe Ohio. With the win, Miami kept pace with this weekend's opponent, Eastern Michigan.

Senior Andrew Keefe (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) and sophomore Scott Robson (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard South) led Miami with a combined six wins. Both RedHawks won a pair of individual events and teamed with seperate first-place relays. Keefe was victorious in the 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle and with the 200 medley relay in the first event of the meet. Robson topped the field in both the 500 and 1000 free, and with the 800 free relay in the final event.

View From The Top: With a 3-0 conference mark, the RedHawks sit atop the MAC standings in a first-place tie with Eastern Michigan. Winners of 23 MAC Championships, the Eagles were picked to win the MAC in the coaches' preseason poll, while Miami was picked third. MU last won a conference title in 1999, the second championship in a three-year span. The RedHawks won at Ohio last Friday, while the Eagles picked up a win against Buffalo on Saturday, to set up this weekend's first place showdown.

First Place Showdown: It seems fitting that first place would come down to Miami and Eastern Michigan. While the Eagles have won 23 of the last 25 MAC Championships, the RedHawks were conference champs in the other two seasons. The Red and White ended EMU's 18-year stranglehold on the conference title in 1997, the first of two MU titles in three seasons. Each team is ranked in the top five of CollegeSwimming.com's Mid-Major poll, as the Eagles inhabit the top spot and the RedHawks are close behind in fourth.

Miami assistant coach Todd Foley swam for the 1997 Miami team that won the MAC Championship, and is in his third season on the RedHawk coaching staff.

Great Scott!: Scott Robson has been on a tear lately as he has won nine events over his last seven meets, including three against Ohio on Jan. 30. The sophomore distance swimmer began that span with a streak of five meets with a win which ended at Ohio State, Jan. 17, where he took second in the 500 freestyle and third in the 1650 free.

Mid-Major: Miami currently sits in fourth place in the most recent CollegeSwimming.com Mid-Major poll. Among teams that have entered their team scores, the RedHawks sit fourth with 243.15 points behind Western Kentucky (3rd place- 245.47 points), Southwest Missouri State (2nd- 245.47) and last year's MAC Champions, Eastern Michigan in first with 249.85 points. The Mid-Major Poll consists of 22 conferences that are excluded from lucrative football and basketball television contracts.

Up Next: The RedHawks take two weeks off before competing at the Midwest Conference Championships in Indianapolis, Feb. 19-21. The event is Miami's final tune-up before the MAC Championships, March 4-6, hosted by Eastern Michigan.