The Eastern men’s and women’s swim teams will host Valparaiso, starting at 11 a.m. Saturday at Padovan Pool.

The Panthers, currently at 0-2 on both sides, are coming off losses to Ball State last Friday, respectively, and are hoping to bounce back this weekend and get their first victories on the year.

The Crusaders are also winless on the men’s side and are coming in off a loss to Western Illinois last Saturday, when the women were victorious for the first time in three years. Both teams will be competing against Rose-Hulman the night before they come to Eastern.

The races this week will look just like the races last weekend against Ball State with a 16-event lineup, except the meet will start with the 400-medley instead of the 200-medley.

Neither the men’s team or women’s team will be at full strength for the meet because of injuries and illnesses for Eastern.

Last week the women’s team had swimmers battling sicknesses and now it is spreading the men’s side, where there are some swimmers who are sick and will not be able to compete.

Each team has a few injured swimmers, but only one from each side will not be able to swim for the Panthers.

Unable to compete for the men this weekend is junior Conner Conrov, and freshman Renae Johnson will not be competing for the women.

Eastern coach Jacqueline Michalski has seen improvements week to week and hopes to stay focused on that this week.

“This week we’re more focused on race strategy and making sure that we execute everything the right way,” Michalski said.

Michalski said that the toughest race for the women would be the distance races, which are Valparaiso’s strongest. For the men’s side the breaststroke race will be the toughest for them because that is where Valparaiso is strongest as well.

The first-year coach for the Panthers said that for the 50-freestyle race it would just come down to who can get their hand on the wall first.

The Panthers will also have a couple swimmers, swimming in races that they are not used to and Michalski is just looking to see what they can get out of them.

“Swimming it smart, staying healthy, and just putting our hand on the wall first,” Michalski said should get the Panthers a win on Saturday.

Sean Hastings can be reached at 581-2812 or smhastings@eiu.edu.