Luke Gadson – Sports Editor
There is excitement among the university’s swimming and diving program, as the team prepares for their upcoming season. Coming off from a successful season last year, winning the NE10 conference championship, the Owls look to take the same steps to achieve the same goal this season. “We’re going to try to win the conference championship again,” said Head Coach Tim Quill. “I think that’s the goal year in and year out. We’ve been fortunate enough to win 15 on each side and we have the type of team that is capable to win another. But, we don’t take it for granted, every year is a new year” .
They recently finished up their preseason and had their first meet on Friday, Sept. 29 at West Chester University. The University’s men’s swimming and diving team left the West Chester Tri-meet with a record of 1-1.
Between five new freshmen joining the team and returners from last year, the Owls are confident in their abilities this season. “We had a pretty good first meet, it was a good and hard showing out there. We drove 5 hours to West Chester and we’re dead from practice, but I’m liking the way things are looking,” said Franklin Kuhn, a senior captain. “We have a lot of young talent and we’re returning a pretty dominant team” .
With the team facing Fairfield University and the University of Connecticut soon, they have a difficult path to repeating as conference champions. Instead of letting these difficult opponents intimidate them, the Owls take on the challenge and the competition brings the best out of them. “This week we’re going to Fairfield University, and then next week UConn. These are really good teams, but when you go against the best competition it tends to make you a better competitor,” said Coach Quill.
The university’s men’s and women’s teams train together in both the offseason and preseason. This is a key factor in their preparation for another NE10 championship. “We’re all looking forward to the NE10 meet in February. We’ve been working hard for this whole season so far and I know the returners have worked really hard in the offseason,” said Kobe Dominguez, a junior. Coach Quill takes pride in his women’s and men’s team’s ability to train so well together. “Obviously we are a men’s program and a women’s program, but in a lot of respects, we are just one program. Men and women train together, travel together, and compete together. I think it’s a really good makeup to have men and women train in the same pool at the same time,” said Coach Quill.
With the NE10 conference swim meet not being until February, it seems far away, but it will be here quickly. Coach Quill will continue to stress this to his team and focus on the small details now so that they can achieve their main goal in the end. “Work on the little things and the big thing will come. They’re more likely to happen when you’re working on them everyday,” said Coach Quill.
