Marshall Swim and Dive will be competing at Ohio University in a dual meet this Friday, Jan. 31. After that, the Herd will be in the Fredrick A. Fitch Natatorium on Saturday at 2 p.m. where the team will compete in their last home meet and honor senior day.

“This is just preparation for our conference championship,” Marshall Head Coach Ian Walsh said. “At this point of the year, it’s details. We are really executing what we have been working on all year.”

The last time the Herd took on Ohio University was in October 2018 with the score of 169-131 and the Bobcats winning. In January 2018, the Herd defeated the Bobcats with the score 151.5-147.5. 

Senior Jordyn O’Dell said the team is preparing this week as they head into the weekend. 

“From now until Friday against Ohio, we don’t really change anything up with our training for dual meets,” O’Dell said. “We are just going to have a hard week this week of practices and lifting.”

On Saturday Feb. 1, the Herd will be taking on James Madison University. The meet will be focusing on the accomplishments of the seniors and everything they have dedicated to the program at Marshall.

There are five seniors including swimmers O’Dell, Catherine Bendziewicz, Angelica De Marzio, and Hannah Robins and diver Maddie Young. 

Throughout Bendziewicz’s three years with the Swim and Dive team, she is a three-time conference champion in the 200 individual medley (IM). 

In 2017-18, she was recognized with Marshall University’s Student Athlete of the Year award. 

Young said this meet is like any other meet she has prepared for in the past.

“Competing in my last home meet makes me emotional because it will be the last time I will be competing in a dual meet with my team,” Young said. “I am also really excited our last meet is at home because we will have the chance to share our sport with the university for the last time, and I think that will be really fun.”

O’Dell reflected on her feelings about finishing her career with Marshall, saying the moment is bittersweet. 

“It’s one of my last meets as team captain,” O’Dell said. “It makes me feel emotional, but I know the girls below me are ready to step up when I leave, so I am excited to see who that entails.” 

After this weekend’s events, the Herd will start preparing for the Conference USA Championship that begins Feb. 26.

Stormy Randazzo can be contacted at [email protected].