Consider it a test run in the freeze of the season. Today, a portion of the Gators will travel to Princeton to unveil what a few days of rest can translate to in the water.
The three-day Big Al Open against competing teams including those from Columbia, Brown, Rider, Princeton and Washington State, will offer a taste of championship style to UF’s younger swimmers.
“Freshman and sophomores will get the opportunity for the first time to race rested and see what a big college invitational is like,” senior captain Bobby Walsh said.
For this meet, the usual stars, including Elizabeth Beisel, Teresa Crippen, Conor Dwyer and Brett Fraser, will not be competing. Thus, the meet will allow the 30 swimmers traveling to step up and prove what they're capable of as the team looks to find who can fill vacant spots when conference meets start.
“Our coaches want us to get more experience racing,” freshman Alicia Mathieu said. “It’s a very good preview of SECs and NCAAs regarding the meet format and getting used to a long weekend of racing a lot of events.”
Though the team’s approach to the Open is not exactly a “full” rest, paralleling the strategy the squad utilizes for the preparation of SECs and NCAAs, the team has cut down on yardage the past couple of days, hoping to result in its best times in the pool.
“I’m glad that I’m going,” Mathieu said. “This will give me another opportunity to be ready to go for SECs and better my times going into the meet.”
Out of the 30 on the traveling roster to Princeton this weekend, only nine are divers.
But the women’s sole senior diver, Monica Dodson, said that the low numbers will present a chance for others to emerge.
“People will have to step up and compete in order to make up for the low number of swimmers we are bringing,” she said. “I think having a little bit of rest going into this will allow for us to perform with more energy and confidence.”
The team will also be shorthanded head coach Gregg Troy, as he is at the 2010 AT&T Short Course National Championships held at Ohio State’s facilities this weekend. The only Gators competing are those who have already graduated, including Ryan Lochte, Rex Tullius, Gemma Spofforth, Shaune Fraser, Omar Pinzon and Stephanie Proud.
