The Ball State men and women's swimming and diving team will host the first annual Doug Coers Invitational tonight and tomorrow at Lewellen Pool.
The invitational is named after the late Doug Coers, who was a four-year member of the Ball State men's swimming team from 1986-1989. From 1992-1993, Coers coached the Catalina Swim Club, the Cardinal Swim Club, the Muncie Central High School Girls' Swim Team and assistant coach of the BSU women's swimming and diving program. During the following four years, Coers coached the Dynamo Swim Club in Atlanta, Ga.
The swim team also has a scholarship in memory of Doug Coers that is given out at the end of the season. It is for Ball State swimmers who is "Loving, kind, sincere and true in his heart. Dedicated with a passion for swimming and his alma mater."
This invitational will include six women's teams and five men's team. Among these teams are Marshall University and Baldwin Wallace University, both with coaches that are alumni of Ball State. "These two coaches also knew Doug very well, and did not hesitate to take the offer to come to this invitation," co-head coach Bob Thomas said. Also coming to the invitational will be Butler, Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Valparaiso.
The meet will be similar to the three-day MAC Championship, except it will happen in a day and a half. Every person will only swim in one event.
Although this invitational, like all invitationals, are simply exhibition, it will still prove to be a very exciting match up between the Cardinals and some of the other teams coming this weekend, including Mid-American Conference rival Marshall.
"Marshall is very competitive in our division, so it will be great to see how our guys and girls do against them this weekend," Thomas said. "Another great team coming this weekend is Wisconsin-Milwaukee. They are very competitive in the Horizon League, and they will be a tough match for us."
The meet begins Friday at 6 p.m. and continues Saturday with the second, third and fourth parts of the invitational beginning at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively.
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