A fun weekend.

That’s what Kansas University swimming coach Clark Campbell called this weekend’s action, sandwiching the Big 12 Conference Relays with meets against national powers Texas and Texas A&M.

“Since I’ve been here, this is the biggest weekend we’ve ever had,” KU senior Amy Gruber said.

Where’s the fun?

“We knew that with the Big 12 Relays, we could get Texas and Texas A&M off the bat,” Kansas coach Clark Campbell said. “That’s really by design. Texas will compete for a national title. (Texas) is a top-three team.”

Although the Jayhawks lost to the Longhorns on Thursday in a dual meet, 192-107, and his team lost 13 of the 16 events, Campbell said his team was swimming better now than it was halfway through the season last year.

The 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay teams had the best times of any Kansas team ever at Robinson Natatorium.

“To do that in October is phenomenal,” Campbell said.

In the freestyle relay, freshman Terri Schramka fended off a pair of Longhorn teams.

“Terri is a secret weapon, but unfortunately she won’t be a secret for very long,” Campbell said. “From the 50 all through the 1,000 … she can get it done. When she wants to turn on her motor, she can really fly.”

KU swimmer Gina Gnatzig competes in the 200 backstroke. Gnatzig placed third in the event Thursday at Robinson Natatorium.

Schramka knew when she signed with the Jayhawks that the upper echelon of the Big 12 would be waiting in the water.

“It’s good to going up against the top teams,” Schramka said. “It shows you what to strive for.”

Kansas had two other victories on the day, with Gruber winning the 50 freestyle in 23:24. Junior Lindsey Urbatchka won six events later in the 100 butterfly in a time of 57:62.

Urbatchka said her team’s vast improvement was due mostly to the man on the deck.

“He always comes up with new systems and theories,” Urbatchka said of Campbell. “You’ve got to give credit to the coach.”

Kansas will continue its busy fall break as the host school of the Big 12 Relays today. The event will run in two sessions, with the first going from 9 to 11 a.m. The second session will run from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Campbell said the relays were a fun way to give every swimmer in the conference an opportunity to qualify for NCAA championships in March. Every event will be a relay, allowing lots of pool time for everyone.

“It’s a great way to start off the year,” Campbell said. “We’ll have a lot of racing. It’s kind of like NASCAR.”

The Jayhawks will wrap up the weekend by entertaining Texas A&M at 10 a.m. Saturday.