CLEVELAND, Miss. -- The Delta State men's and women's swimming and diving teams open their 2019-2020 campaign this week, as they take on the University of Alabama on Friday at the Ronnie Mayers Aquatics Center.  This year marks the seventh consecutive time the squad faces the Division I foe to start the season; Friday's contest will also be one of the nation's first intercollegiate swimming and diving competitions of the year.
 
Head Coach Dan'l Murray is ready to start the season against a SEC school. "Our annual dual meet with the University of Alabama has been beneficial for setting up our college season each year.  After a few weeks of workouts, it will be good to see where our team is with their development. We are excited to get this season started and we are looking forward to having an opportunity to race."
 
On the men's side, Delta State will look to build off last year's second place finish at the NCAA Championships. They also earned a championship in the New South Intercollegiate Swim Conference. Graduating fourteen members from last spring's national team, the Statesmen will rely on several key returners for leadership.
 
The list of returners is lead by junior Giulio Brugnoni. He comes off a great NCAA championship where he finished tied for second in the 50 free. He also helped lead the 200 free relay to a third place finish, which was the highest the Statesmen have finished in the national championships. Brugnoni finished fifth in the 100 fly, his highest placement in the event. At the NSISC Championships, Brugnoni was named male swimmer of the meet.
 
Joining Brugnoni on the list of returners from last year's NCAA squad are two more Italians, Emanuel Fava and Federico Bracco. Both of them finished as All Americans in several events at NCAA finals last year. 
 
Other returners who contributed at NCAA Championships are Matey Rezashki, Michael Maly, and Savio Ragonesi.
 
On the boards, two of the three men's divers who qualified for NCAA's, return for another season. Kyle Weesner and Hunter McCarter who finished as two of the top twenty divers in the country last season return for another year.
 
The Lady Statesmen finished in 12^thlast year at the NCAA Championship and had a runner up finish at the NSISC Championship.
 
DSU will be led by a trio of sophomores who made a splash in their freshman campaign. Celeste Turner, Madison Lavoie, and Madelyn Byrd all contributed at both the NSISC and NCAA Championships and had honorable mention All-Americans at the national championships.
 
Also returning for the Lady Statesmen will be Lucia Martelli who has been a mainstay for DSU for the last several years. Chelsea Borrowdale, Victoria Brady, and Rylee Daniels all swam last year at the NCAA Championships and all three return for the Green and White.
 
On the boards, Gillian Pratt, who qualified for NCAA Championship returns as well.
 
Delta State will host five meets at home this season. That list includes two Division 1 SEC schools in Alabama and LSU. The diving team will host the annual Delta Dive Invite, and both swim and dive will host the annual Christmas invite as well. The NSISC Championships will be February 19-22, 2020 at the Ronnie Mayers Aquatic Center. This year the NCAA Championships will be held March 11-14, 2020 in Geneva, Ohio.