Belles host conference championships in peak form
By NOREEN GILLESPIE
Saint Mary's Editor
After two years of provisonary membership in the MIAA, the Saint Mary's swimming and diving team opened their season ready to make a statement.
Pressing Alma and Calvin College to harder victories than expected during the regular season, defeating a surprised University of Chicago at its season opener and busting three school records, it's safe to say their voice has been heard.
And the screaming is just about to begin.
Closing their season this weekend with a home court advantage at the first ever championship event to be hosted by Saint Mary's, there is no question in any team member's mind that this will be yet another statement made by the team.
"This makes a huge statement about how serious we are in athletics," first-year head coach Gretchen Hildebrandt said. "We want the MIAA to see we're moving forward, and this can really bring a name to Saint Mary's."
Outside of the championship hype, the women are focused and ready to swim.
"These women are ready," Hildebrandt said. "We've talked a lot in practice about this being a no-pressure situation. When these women get behind the blocks, behind their lane, they will own that race. They're not going to have to worry about anything else."
While the team will certainly face close encounters with Alma and Calvin College this weekend, Hildebrant has focused her swimmers on personal performance, not in team standings, she said.
"I'm not pitting my swimmers against the other teams, calculating points here and there," Hildebrandt said. "We're not ready for that as a team. What I want them to feel is confident, and like they're enjoying themselves in the water."
The focus, Hildebrandt emphasized, is on swimmers' personal performances.
"I want them to be concerned with their own race," she said. "We're not ready to start dealing with points here."
However, losing two meets by less than 15 points is a factor weighing on the women's minds, as the opportunity to come out on top surfaces again, said co-captain Michelle Samreta.
"I'd say that our primary goal is for personal best times and staying unified," Samreta said, "but the team can definitely chase the competition. It's definitely a thought in our minds. We aren't just out for personal bests here. We do know that we have a chance of beating out these other teams."
For a team that started its season under more than its share of turmoil, surmounting heavy roster changes and transitioning to a new coach, the mental toughness developed throughout the season will play a critical role in the weekend's championship. Throughout the season, the team's mental capacity has been a consistent strength, Hildebrandt said.
"When I tell them to go a time in practice, they'll go that time in practice," she said. "They have an excellent balance of mental toughness and physical fitness. These are mentally tough swimmers."
Samreta agreed.
"Mentally, we're very on top of our game," she said. "We've been training physically and mentally, and we're ready to go."
Evidence of that mental preparation has been exhibited throughout the past several dual meets, with the women posting season and career bests during the peak of their training, virtually unheard of in the late months of the season.
Coming into the final stretch, that is not expected to change.
"They're still going to swim fast," Hildebrandt said. "They don't have anything to worry about."
Having erased three records to date this season, several records are also going to come under fire this weekend, possibly giving the 1999-2000 team some historical fame in the books.
Junior sprinter Colleen Sullivan and sophomore sprinter Danielle Clayton will go head to head against the 1999 50 freestyle record, which Clayton broke in the 1999 championships. The pair could also knock on the door of the 100 freestyle record, uncontested since 1994.
Samreta, who has re-set her 100 breastroke record twice in her collegiate career, is also expected to put her record on the line in her final collegiate meet.
Freshman standout Lauren Smith will also try her 200 breastroke record, which she has broken twice throughout the season. Bouncing back from illness, Smith will have to be "mentally focused," Hildebrandt said.
Finally, the 1999 200 medley relay record could fall, with pressure from freshman Lane Herrington, sophomore Alicia Lesneskie, Samreta, and Sullivan.
"They've been knocking on the door all season," Hildebrandt said. "We're tired of looking at that record!"
Other key performances are expected from co-captain Olivia Smith in the distance events, Sarah Sandahl in the 100 freestyle, and Erin McCarthy in the 200 individual medley.
"I could go through everyone," Hildebrandt said. "There really are no standouts. Every single swim is going to be phenomenal."
And that, Hildebrandt emphasized, is the statement to be made.
"My major goal for them is to finish, look back and say, "I loved swimming this year," Hildebrandt said. "I want to be able to look at the overall turnout and see them reach their personal goals."
All Sports Stories for Thursday, February 10, 2000
