Both the Golden Bear men and women both enter the meet ranked No. 5 in the country, while the men own a dual meet record of 3-1and the women, 5-0. Friday's meet will also be Arizona's only competition this season that will be contested in a short-course yards format.

Both Stanford squads will swim Arizona State on Friday before taking on the Wildcats. Currently the Cardinal men are ranked No. 2 in the country and are 2-2 in dual meet action, while women are No. 3 and hold a record of 1-0. In their last action, the Stanford women defeated No. 13 Texas on October 15, 1999 to extend its dual-meet win streak at deGuerre Pool to 40 straight, dating to the 1987-88 season.

Last Time Out: (WOMEN) The top-ranked Georgia women's squad proved to be too much for second-ranked Arizona last Friday (Jan. 14) at the Hillenbrand Aquatic Center, as the Bulldogs raced to a 165-135 triumph and handed the Wildcats their first loss of the year.

Leading the attack for the Cats was freshman Beth Botsford who was victorious in both the 100 (54.80) and 200 (1:57.78) backstrokes. Both of Botsford's times were also NCAA automatic qualifying times. The only other event victory for the Cats came from sophomore Erin Vogt, who ran away from the field in the 200 butterfly, finishing first in a time of 2:00.45.

In diving action Arizona dominated both the 1-meter and 3-meter competitions by taking first through fourth-place in both events. In 3-meter diving, UA junior Lindsay Berryman posted the top score (308.025 points).

On Saturday (Jan. 15) the UA women ran away from the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks, 158-107 at the H.A.C., improving the Cats' dual meet record to 6-1overall.

Arizona dominated the meet by winning all 13 events that were contested, although five of the event victories were exhibition swims.

(MEN) On the strength of three event titles by 1999 NCAA Swimmer of the Year, senior Ryk Neethling, No. 3 ranked Arizona downed the ninth-ranked Michigan Wolverines (Jan. 8) at the Hillenbrand Aquatic Center, by a score of 174-126.

Neethling captured wins in the 200 freestyle (1:54.70), 400 freestyle (4:03.06) and the 1,500 freestyle (15:43.69) as the meet was conducted in a long course meter format. Also strong for the Cats was freshman Jeff Dash who notched victories in both the 100 butterfly (56.98) and the 200 butterfly (2:03.38).

Cats in the Polls: The men enter the meet ranked No. 3 in the nation in the Jan. 6 edition of the Speedo America College Swimming Coaches Association Top-25 poll, while the Arizona women are ranked second in the nation. On the women's side, the Wildcats trail only defending-champion Georgia, while the men find themselves behind No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Stanford.

Other Pac-10 men's teams in the rankings include the Stanford at No. 2, No. 5 California, No. 6 USC, and Arizona State in the No. 12 spot.

In the women's poll, Stanford is No. 3, USC No. 4, California No. 5, UCLA No. 14 and ASU at No. 18.