PREVIEW - The Saint Louis Swimming and Diving teams head to Buffalo, N.Y. for the 2012 Atlantic 10 Swimming and Diving Championship on Feb. 22-25. In the preseason, both the men and women were selected to finish last in the meet. However, numerous Billiken swimmers have stepped up to the occasion and turned in some of the top times in the conference.

LAST SEASON - At last season's A-10 Championship, the men's team finished seventh and the women tenth. However, Christiana Eltiste won the three-meter diving competition, marking the second consecutive season a Billken as won the event. Additionally, Brian Brasser finished in the top three of the 100-yard breaststroke.

BILLIKENS IN THE A-10 CHAMPIONSHIP

TAYLOR-MADE - Senior Taylor Streid has been on a roll as of late. She won all five events she swam in at the Washington Invitational. Streid is on a four-meet win streak in the 200-yard Individual Medley. She is ranked sixth in the event in the conference.

FRESHMAN PHENOMS - This season's freshman class has been impressive through the halfway mark of the season. On the men's side, Zack Billingsley is the second-ranked swimmer in the A-10 in the 50 free and third in the 100 free, Stephen Hansen is sixth in the 100 breast and ninth in the 200 breast, and Patrick May is second in the 100 free and seventh in the 50 free. For the women, Jalynn Gieseke is sixth in the 100 fly and seventh in the 200 fly.

SENSATIONAL SOPHOMORE - Lizzy Osterman has been a standout sophomore for coach Halliburton this season. Osterman set a school record in the 200 free and is ranked fourth in the event in the A-10. She also is ranked fifth in the 100 free.

CLIMBING THE A-10 - Billiken swimmers are scattered throughout the Atlantic 10 top ten lists. So far this season, 12 swimmers have ranked in the top ten of at least one event. Zack Billingsley (50 Free, 100 Free), Patrick May (100 Free), Brian Brasser (100 Breast), Billy Hrabovsky (one-meter diving) and Courtnee Lagestee (one-meter diving) are each ranked in the top three in their events.

MAKING A SPLASH - Senior diver Billy Hrabovsky earned a score of 301.75 on the one-meter board against Missouri S&T on Oct. 29, 2011. That score qualifies him for his fourth consecutive Zone "D" Diving Regional. He is the first male diver to ever earn the honor and only the second diver in Billiken history, the other being Anna Larson.

CONFERENCE HONORS - Freshmen Patrick May and Melanie Battaglia have earned A-10 Rookie of the Week honors this season. Battaglia won the award on Oct. 18, while May earned the honor on Dec. 5.

BREAKING RECORDS - The following SLU records have been broken this season: