HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i swimming and diving squads will kick off the 2019 portion of their schedules beginning on Thursday and parlaying into the weekend by hosting three events.
 
The diving team will get everything started on Thursday with the Wally Nakamoto Diving Invite and will end on Saturday, while the swimming squad will host Wisconsin in a meet on Friday. Both events will be held at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex. On Sunday, the swim team will continue as they'll host Simon Fraser University in Maui.

"We have had a great week of training," said head coach Dan Schemmel. "This meet is more about racing through the tiredness and just getting your hand on the wall first rather than aiming for specific times. Wisconsin is a very good program and we are excited for the challenge. We're also looking forward to watching the divers perform against a strong field at the Wally Nakamoto Invite this week."
 
The Wally Nakamoto Invite will begin at 10:30 a.m. HT on both Thursday and Friday, and will conclude on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. HT. The matchup with with Wisconsin will start on Friday at 4:00 p.m. HT. All three events are free and open to the public.
 
UH Swim Preview
 
Wisconsin is a familiar program Schemmel as it was his previous stop before taking over at UH in 2016. Schemmel spent five seasons at Wisconsin as an assistant coach playing a significant role in the program's climb to the top of the Big 10 Conference and the national ranks. Since departing from the Badgers' program he and his staff have implemented the same way of thinking and progressive vision to the UH swim team, moving up the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation ranks and beginning to gain attention on the national front.
 
Junior long distance swimmer Phoebe Hines is the front-runner of the program from what she already accomplished this season. Hines ranks No.1 in the NCAA with the 1650 freestyle event, as well as holding a No. 7 ranking in the 500 freestyle. Most recently Hines set new UH records in both events from the team's previous meet at Texas A&M in mid-November.
 
Sophomore Karolina Hajkova follows up Hines with a national ranking herself as she sits at No. 19 in the 100 backstroke. Much like Hines, she broke the UH record in the event at Texas A&M as well as the 200 backstroke.
 
On the men's side, Senior Metin Aydin and junior Olli Kokko are continuing their treks towards qualifying for the NCAAs. Aydin a two-time NCAA qualifier is aiming to make it three in a row, with Kokko trying to make it in back-to-back seasons.
 
Friday's meet with Wisconsin will feature a 13 event lineup while Sunday's competition with Simon Frasier in Maui will be at 16 events.
 
UH Diving Preview
 
The Wally Nakamoto Invite will include UH as well as Harvard, Wisconson, Nebraska, and Indianapolis. The event will begin on Thursday with the women's one-meter springboard, along with the men's three-meter springboard. The events will be flipped on Friday, and the event will conclude on Saturday with the platform dives. Diving scores from the day will be included in the UH vs. Wisconsin swim meet on Friday.
 
The invite will be the last home event for the diving team as their final event of the season will be at UCLA from Jan 18-20 before competing in the MPSF Championships, and the NCAA Zone E Qualifying meets. Seniors from both the men's and women's squad will be honored with Senior Day on Jan. 12 when the swim team hosts Minnesota.
 
Junior Jami Stone continues to be a mainstay for UH diving as she'll compete in both the one and three-meter dives this week. Stone a First-Team All-MPSF representative in the one-meter a year ago is on the fast track to repeating her status. Stone has already qualified for the NCAA Zone Championships and continues to build on her legacy.
 
Junior Grant Newcombe is in a similar situation to Stone as he has already qualified for the NCAA Zone Championships. Newcombe has challenged senior Johan Sandell in various competitions this year as he continues to make a name for himself, and make the NCAA Championships for the first time in his career.