For the first time since October 2008, the TCU men’s swimming & diving team lost at home to SMU 178-120 at the University Recreation Center Thursday.

Senior night came to an unfortunate close as the TCU men’s squad dropped to 6-3 and SMU improved to 2-1.

“We got beat by a good team tonight,” head coach Richard Sybesma said. “We have three more weeks until we swim [against] them again, and I think our team will rise to the challenge.”

Sophomore Michael Franz won the 1000-free and clocked a 9:32.17 in the event. He also had two second-place finishes in the 500-free (4:38.24) and 400-individual medley (4:07.67).

Freshman Cooper Robinson has performed consistently throughout the season. He won the 200-back and clocked a 1:48.46. He also won the 400-free relay in 3:07.51.

For seniors Edgar Crespo, Friedrich Grott, Laszlo Gyurko, Scott Smidlein and Theo Trotman, it was their last time to compete in their home pool.

Crespo clocked a 55.82 in the 100-breast and a 2:03.26 in the 200-breast for individual wins in both events.

Crespo said it is now time to focus on the Conference USA Invitational. He will give TCU 100 percent and focus on supporting the team, he said.

“I think my role as a senior right now is be in the good and the bad moments,” Crespo said. “Tonight, we had a bad moment, but we are going to be with [the team], and we’re going to be supportive.”

Trotman said all the seniors worked hard to prepare for the last regular meet and that each of them had great performances. He said he focused on finishing strong because he wanted to go out on a good note and give his best effort.

Trotman said his favorite part of the program was the friendships he developed.

“Moving from swimmer to team manager to diver, I’ve been in every position except coaching the team,” Trotman said. “I just really enjoyed the experience, even the practices.”

Sybesma said senior night was a special time for swimmers and divers because it was their last opportunity to compete for TCU at home. He said all five seniors had been “great contributors in and out of the pool.”

“We haven’t been beaten at home in a long time. They didn’t like it and neither did I,” Sybesma said. “Our seniors have never lost at home. We’re going to have to avenge this at the conference meet in three weeks.”

Since the regular season is over for the men’s squad, the team will start training solely for the Conference USA Invitational Feb. 15-18 in Houston. 

“When everybody’s peaked at the right time and we are all where we need to be at the right time, we are going to be a very dangerous team,” Sybesma said.

With conference coming up, there is still time for the men’s squad to swim together and leave a greater mark on TCU.