EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Swimming and Diving opens the 2026-27 season on the road this weekend with a pair of dual meets, starting Friday against host Valparaiso University before a Saturday trip to Chicago for a double-dual against the University of Illinois-Chicago and the University of Northern Iowa.

Friday's meet against Valparaiso at Hobart Aquatic Center in Hobart, Indiana, will start at 5 p.m. CT. Friday's meet will be a swimming-only event, with no diving contested.

Saturday's double-dual against UIC and UNI meet in Chicago is set for an 11 a.m. CT. UNI will face USI in women's competition only, as Northern Iowa only sponsors a women's swimming and diving program.

USI enters the season opener looking to build on last year's Summit League Championships, where both the men's and women's teams finished sixth out of seven teams.

USI and Valparaiso have met regularly in recent seasons. The USI women hold a 3-2 all-time edge in the series, while the USI men trail 3-2. Both USI squads fell to Valparaiso at the Indiana University Indianapolis Quad Meet last season. Junior Stokes Knight took first in the 50 freestyle (20.77) for the men, and junior Emma Gabhart finished with a trio of second-place finishes in the 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke and 400 IM for the women.

The Screaming Eagle men are 1-2 all-time against the Flames and picked up their first win in the series at home last season. The USI women have yet to beat UIC, sitting 0-3 all-time in the series. In last year's meet versus UIC, sophomore Jerrin Dale picked up three wins, taking the 50 and 100 breaststroke and swimming the breaststroke leg on the winning 200 medley relay. Gabhart once again led the charge for the USI women with wins in the 50 and 100 breaststroke.

The USI divers faced UIC in last year's dual meet, as well as the UIC diving invite in Chicago. Junior Gabbie Meier was USI's top finisher in the invite, placing third in the three-meter diving. Senior's Nathan Deputy and Maranda Uttke each placed sixth in the three-meter.

Saturday's meet will also mark the first-ever meeting between USI and Northern Iowa on the women's side.

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