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Already this season, eight Mustangs Men Swimmers & Divers have made NCAA B Cuts so far. Progress is being made. Coach Greg is working them hard, and our overall roster is improving their times and performances since arriving on the Hilltop. If our relays can qualify, we can imagine a return to prominence in the near future.

Well done, Mustang Swimmers & Divers (Mu Sigma Delta)

Thanks Water Pony - keep up the S & D reports

I was around in the Barr Glory Days when we competed with the best. Love hearing we are heading back to that. S & D reports are encouraging.

AusTxPony wrote:I was around in the Barr Glory Days when we competed with the best. Love hearing we are heading back to that. S & D reports are encouraging.

Thanks, AusTxPony. Coach “Red” Barr was a true gentleman. An admirable man, father, and my coach!

Water Pony wrote:

AusTxPony wrote:I was around in the Barr Glory Days when we competed with the best. Love hearing we are heading back to that. S & D reports are encouraging.

Thanks, AusTxPony. Coach “Red” Barr was a true gentleman. An admirable man, father, and my coach!

Was a classmate and frat bro of Red's late son Alan. Remember those Red Barr glory years of SMU swimming & diving fondly, despite our competing in a decaying Natatorium

I have said this before but will repeat. The most exciting sporting event I have ever attended was a dual swim meet between us and a highly ranked opponent (do not recall who), in the old Natatorium. Hot and steamy. Packed and echoing loud. Came down to the final relay that we won by a smidgeon. Was soaked with sweat and hoarse from yelling. I would doubt that atmosphere can be duplicated in the larger facilities of today although the new ones are well deserved and welcome.

mrydel wrote:I have said this before but will repeat. The most exciting sporting event I have ever attended was a dual swim meet between us and a highly ranked opponent (do not recall who), in the old Natatorium. Hot and steamy. Packed and echoing loud. Came down to the final relay that we won by a smidgeon. Was soaked with sweat and hoarse from yelling. I would doubt that atmosphere can be duplicated in the larger facilities of today although the new ones are well deserved and welcome.

Boy I remember that sauna like atmosphere in the old Natatorium...and great meets against Top 10 competition, which we were in those days. I think we were ranked in the Top 10 entire time I was at SMU under 1st Coach Barr and then Coach McMillion

Myrdel - if that was Dec. 1972, it would have been versus USC who won the NCAA championship the year before and that year. If so, i was on that team and on that relay. If it was 1969, 1970 or so it was likely against Michigan. We had some amazing meets in Perkins.

Water Pony - I agree. We had a good November invitational and very surprisingly a very good meet against TCU on Dec. 2. We have 3 relays that with solid improvement between now and March could get to NCAA's - maybe more. We are 8th nationally in one of those relays now. We also have mutiple swims in the top 30-40 in their events. Best of those is 14th right now. Top 16 score at NCAA's. We have two young men - Colin Feehery and Cotton Fields, that have a chance to score points individually. Maybe 3-4 with significant improv ement could score as well. There are some pretty good young freshmen that have the ability to get much better.

ponyswim wrote:Myrdel - if that was Dec. 1972, it would have been versus USC who won the NCAA championship the year before and that year. If so, i was on that team and on that relay. If it was 1969, 1970 or so it was likely against Michigan. We had some amazing meets in Perkins.

It was Michigan probably 1969

ponyswim wrote:Water Pony - I agree. We had a good November invitational and very surprisingly a very good meet against TCU on Dec. 2. We have 3 relays that with solid improvement between now and March could get to NCAA's - maybe more. We are 8th nationally in one of those relays now. We also have mutiple swims in the top 30-40 in their events. Best of those is 14th right now. Top 16 score at NCAA's. We have two young men - Colin Feehery and Cotton Fields, that have a chance to score points individually. Maybe 3-4 with significant improv ement could score as well. There are some pretty good young freshmen that have the ability to get much better.

Thanks for expanding on the team’s progress, ponyswim. I agree, we have reason to be encouraged.

BTW, my Varsity (Freshman were ineligible then) Teams finished 5th, 7th, and 5th at the NCAA Championships in ‘66, ‘67, and ‘68. It was the beginning of our march to national prominence, which your teams built on. Coach Mac was my Frosh Coach and Assistant to Coach Barr until his early passing.

Pony Up!

I was a freshman and went to that USC meet which came down to the final relay. Paul Titze (sp?) edged out USC's Olympic gold medalist (Nabor?) on the final lap. The Nat was bedlam.

mrydel wrote:I have said this before but will repeat. The most exciting sporting event I have ever attended was a dual swim meet between us and a highly ranked opponent (do not recall who), in the old Natatorium. Hot and steamy. Packed and echoing loud. Came down to the final relay that we won by a smidgeon. Was soaked with sweat and hoarse from yelling. I would doubt that atmosphere can be duplicated in the larger facilities of today although the new ones are well deserved and welcome.

I think it may have been Indiana. At the time they hadn't lost a dual meet in forever.

I think it was Michigan. Seems they were ranked #2 at the time.

Thanks for the insights.

Just watching them warm up and around the deck, it looks like Greg is making great progress shifting the team mix to favor serious, competitive NCAA swimmers vs. kids who just want to be on the swim team.

He also seems to have figured out how to sell SMU's grad programs. Lots of reasons to be encouraged.