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BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech swimming and diving program kicks off the 2012-13 season with a four-team dual meet against CCSA opponents Gardner-Webb, VMI and Liberty’s women’s squad Saturday at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center. Start time is set for 11 a.m.

LIVE RESULTS - @VT_SwimDive

SERIES

• This is the first meeting between the H₂Okies and Gardner-Webb and the Lady Flames

• Virginia Tech and VMI will meet for the 13^th time and the H₂Okies have never lost a dual contest against the Keydets

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS

• Gardner-Webb kicked off its season on Oct. 5 at the N.C. College Invitational in Greensboro, N.C., both squads finished fifth

• Last year the Bulldogs finished fourth at the women’s championships and third at the men’s

SCOUTING THE LADY FLAMES

• Liberty kicked off its season on Oct. 13 against conference opponent Campbell

• The Lady Flames downed the Camels 147-112 in Buies Creek, N.C.

• Liberty finished the 2012 CCSA Women’s Championships with a silver medal, about 100 points ahead of third place

SCOUTING THE KEYDETS

• VMI kicks off its 2012-13 season Friday night in Lexington against the Bulldogs and UNC Asheville

• The men finished fourth out of five teams at the 2012 CCSA Championships

• The women took 11^th placed out of 12 teams at the conference championships last season

WELCOME TO BLACKSBURG

• The H₂Okies welcome 18 newcomers to the program, nine men and nine women

• The men added five sprint freestylers (Drake Becksted, Joe Bonk, Wil Coor, Jason Haney and Evan Naff), along with three individual medley swimmers (Lucas Bureau, Evan Nicely and Brian Rothschild) and diver, Logan Stevens

• The women welcomed Gabrielle Bishop (Free/Back/Fly), Lauren Buckworth (Fly/IM/Free), Amber Cratsenberg (Free/Fly), Natalie Cronk (IM), Katie Gillespie (Back/Fly/Free), Holly Harper (Back/IM), Kayla Iverson (Fly), Natalee Roseberry (Free) and Mackenzie Stewart (IM/Breast)

COMING OFF BEST SEASON YET

• Virginia Tech is coming off one of its most memorable seasons and returns all five All-Americans, in addition to all six ACC Champions from last year’s squad

• The H₂Okie men and women concluded the 2012 season with the highest program finish at the NCAA Championships, as each squad broke the top 20 for the first time and placed 18^th

• The men stepped foot on the ACC podium for the first time in program history and took the silver medal

• The women placed fourth, the best finish since 2009

• The H₂Okies only lost 11 letterwinners from last season, seven men and just four women

For updates on Virginia Tech swimming & diving, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_SwimDive).