For the third time this season, the Eastern men’s and women’s swimming and diving team will have back-to-back meets this weekend as the Panthers get ready to face Western Illinois at 5 p.m. on Friday and Butler University at noon on Saturday.

The Panther men (4-0) are tying to maintain its undefeated season heading into this weekend’s dual meets, while the women (2-2) attempt to notch their third straight victory and break over the .500 mark for the first time this season.

“Friday should be a good knock-down close meet,” head coach Raymond Padovan said. “As long as we swim like we did last meet.”

Last year, when Padovan scheduled the meets against Butler and Western, he said he knew a lot about each team.

In a strange turn of events, he has been unable to confirm what type of team they have now.

“From what I’ve seen they have lost a lot of people from last year,” Padovan said.

“I haven’t been able to get in touch with their coach but as far as I am concerned there is a meet. We have signed a contract.”

Even thought there is a signed contract, Padovan is confused as to whether the team is coming because there has been no contact between the teams. He said he has called all week and has not been able to contact the coach from Butler.

The team is counting on Western to be competitive on Friday as far as senior captain Jessica Kaatz is concerned.

“They are going to be tough,” Kaatz said, “But we’ll do good … cause we swam good last weekend.”

Padovan said the plan for the weekend’s events is to compete at a high level against Western and take a rest against Butler in order for some personal changes.

“(Saturday) will be not quite as hard (against Butler) which helps,” Padovan said. “Then it gives me a chance to move some people around.”

But make no mistake: the team is going into the weekend with the impression that it will have to preform at its best in order to meet their specifications. Even though Saturday may not be that tough of a meet, they will have their hands full when they get on the blocks against Western.

“It’s going to be an exceptionally close meet,” Padovan said.

event could go down to the flip of a coin, but that’s the way it should be. Friday ought to be great.”