The ISU swimming and diving team will attempt to improve its record to 4-0 in a double duel Friday night in Macomb, Ill., against the University of Western Illinois Leathernecks and Illinois State University Redbirds.

The Cyclones (2-0) are coming off victories over South Dakota State and Nebraska-Omaha. Both the Leathernecks and the Redbirds are 1-1 in the young season. Western Illinois lost to St. Louis in its opener but came back to beat Lewis College.

Illinois State defeated Northern Iowa in its opener before losing to Illinois.

Swimming coach Duane Sorenson said he wants to see what the women can do in another team’s pool.

“We’re just looking for good competition and a chance to travel away from our pool in a dual meet setting,” Sorenson said.

“We should come out on top in both meets, but you never know what the other team is going to do.

“We just have to be prepared and ready to stand up and race from the first event to the last.”

Senior Cassandra Nelson was one of the key competitors for Iowa State the last time the team took the pool, but this weekend will swim a longer race – the 200-meter backstroke.

“I haven’t swam it yet this year,” Nelson said. “So I am just looking to get a better time and see what I can do this year.”

For the divers, freshman Tien Tran, with her performance against SDSU, qualified for the NCAA Zone Diving championships in February, which could qualify her for nationals.

Diving coach Jeff Warrick said he is looking for solid performances out of Tran and redshirt sophomore Kali Fryklund, who is competing for the first time coming off an injury.

“It will be good for her to get up and get going, but she’s not 100 percent, so she will be doing some standing dives, where normally she would be doing an approach,” Warrick said.

“We just want Tien to continue what she has been doing and have a good competition.”

Also, sophomore Haley Haynes will not be diving this weekend because of an injury.

The meet will be held at 5:00 p.m. Friday at the Brophy Hall Pool on the Western Illinois campus.