BOWLING GREEN, Ky. —  The WKU men's and women's swimming and diving teams will look to capture yet another Sun Belt Conference title when the teams begin competition on Wednesday in the 2009 Sun Belt Conference Championships.  The defending women's Sun Belt champions hope to win their seventh crown in school history, while the men will try to capture WKU's fourth title.  Last year, the women took home the trophy with 775 points while the men finished third with 539.5 points.  Currently, the women's team is ranked fifth in the collegeswimming.com mid-major poll and is the highest ranked Sun Belt team.  The men's team is ranked seventh behind Missouri State and Denver, who are ranked second and third.   

This season, the women's team has been flawless with a 9-0 record and wins over Miami (FL), Georgia Tech and New Orleans.  The team will be led by sophomore Claire Donahue, who holds the school record in the 100 and 200 yard butterfly.  This season, she holds the team-best time in the 100 and 200 Fly and is also a pivotal member of the WKU women's relay teams.     

On the men's side, junior Sean Penhale holds the fastest times in the 200, 500, 1000 and 1650 freestyle while also holding the WKU school record in the 500 and 1000 free.  The Hilltoppers, who dropped only one meet during the regular season, finished the season with a 7-1 record.  

The championship begins on Wed. at 2:30 p.m. CST when the prelims of the men's three-meter diving competition begin.  The meet will conclude on Saturday.


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