Arkansas is a familiar squad to the Kansas swimming and diving team. Each year the Razorbacks and the Jayhawks meet in a non-conference dual meet that always promises to keep the crowd on its toes.

“It’s a good rivalry. We have good competition that brings out the best in both teams,” coach Clark Campbell said. “Especially being a Jayhawk. Everyone wants to beat the Jayhawks.”

In 2002, the Jayhawks hosted a contest against the Razorbacks when Cathy Burgess was still the Kansas coach. It was the final home meet of the season. Current senior captain Amy Gruber swam the 100-yard freestyle, finishing first place with a time of 52.08. Gruber, a freshman at the time, also swam the last leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay for a winning meet.

In 2003, the Jayhawks headed south for another competition against Arkansas. This time around, coach Clark Campbell was the man in charge. The results were different, too.

The Jayhawks lost the meet in Arkansas 181-119, but Campbell and the team would have another opportunity in 2004. When the Razorbacks traveled to Lawrence second semester last year, the Jayhawks defeated the Razorbacks at home once again.

With the alternating pattern of winning at home against Arkansas and losing in the Razorbacks’ house, the question regarding how the swimmers and divers would perform Saturday was in the air.

After Kansas rolled over Drury Friday night 144-86, they packed up and headed to Arkansas. The team arrived at about midnight for the highly anticipated competition Saturday.

Despite the long bus ride Friday to Drury in Springfield, Mo., and yet another tedious drive to Fayetteville, Ark., Campbell and the Jayhawks stomped the Razorbacks on their territory, breaking the pattern of winning and losing against Arkansas. Coach Campbell said he was impressed with the team’s performance.

“The team did wonderful. There was so much energy and enthusiasm,” Campbell said. “It’s situations like back-to-back meets that build toughness, regardless of how we swim.”

The tenacity of the team was not the only thing that led them to domination against Arkansas. The team had several events in which they claimed first and second place.

“We had great depth against Arkansas,” Campbell said. “But hats off to Arkansas. We were not near as sharp as them, but we won races and that’s what it takes to win meets.”

This weekend was not the only occasion this season that the Jayhawks had back-to-back competitions. At the end of October, Kansas took on Southwest Missouri State in Springfield, then traveled to Columbia for a contest against Missouri.

“Looking back, we are swimming very objectively better than in October,” Campbell said.

Earlier last week before the Jayhawks left on their mission for victory against the Panthers and the Razorbacks, Gruber said she was excited about returning to her home state and reflected on the history of the Kansas-Arkansas rivalry.

“Arkansas beat us two years ago,” Gruber said.

Captains Gruber and Miranda Isaac have been around for four years of the rivalry. In 2002, Isaac captured the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 106.51. On Saturday, she capitalized on her specialty event three years later and won the race again with a time of 1:05.07. She also walked away as the winner of the 200-yard breaststroke, clocking in at 2:20.62.

Gruber out-touched Arkansas sensation Zsuzsa Csobanki by a hair more than a tenth of a second in the 100-yard freestyle, and she hung with Csobanki in the 50 freestyle, claiming second place with a time of 23.48.

“Csobanki is hotter than any swimmer in the country,” Campbell said.

Kansas took the heat from Arkansas and continued to turn it into positive energy.

Sophomore Lia Pogioli swam a season-best time in the 1000-yard freestyle. In addition, junior backstroker and freestyler Gina Gnatzig took first place in both the 200-yard freestyle and 200-yard backstroke at the Arkansas meet. Against Drury, Gnatzig swam a lifetime best in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 4:32.86.

On the diving front, sophomores Shelby Noonan and Jenny Roberts dominated against Drury, claiming first and second place. Because of Roberts’ outstanding performance, she will join junior Casey Topol and sophomore Shelby Noonan at the NCAA Zone Diving meet in March.

The past weekend placed the Jayhawks in perfect position to end the season on a high note, and to enter the Big 12 Conference championships ready to dominate.

“College swimming is geared towards championship meets,” Gruber said.

Campbell said the winning weekend had given his team an edge as they wrapped up dual meets and entered Championship waters.

“Winning builds confidence, and we are getting better every meet,” Campbell said. “Not only are we tough, but we are tough and we’re swimming well.”

The Jayhawks will take on the Iowa State Cyclones Saturday, Feb. 5 in their last home, dual meet. The six Kansas seniors will be recognized before the meet at 2 p.m. that day at Robinson Center Natatorium.

— Edited by John Scheirman