Sporting several returning veterans and competing towards a new championship at season's end, the women's swimming and diving team, which kicked off its season on Saturday with a victory over Clark, hopes to improve on last year's 4-5 record and tenth-place finish at the New England Championships.
"This season we are going to work on the team, build team unity," coach Nancy Bigelow said.
The Jumbos this year have a squad of 48 swimmers, a large team that will give Bigelow many options at each meet. Senior tri-captain Kira Kuhn sees the enormity of the team as an advantage.
"Our numbers is our strength" Kuhn said. "However, we need to work on team morale. Getting to know each other with such a big team is difficult. It is hard to keep in touch."
Though the Jumbos' focus will be on the team, the women will be led by veteran swimmers, specifically Kuhn and the other two tri-captains, seniors Kristin Horton and Nancy Leahy. Horton holds two school records, and also qualified for Nationals last season.
"She's looking to have her best year yet," Bigelow said. Kuhn and Leahy, meanwhile, are coming back from semesters abroad and will be looking to lead the team to a better finish than last year.
While last season ended in disappointment at New Englands, the Jumbos will end their season at a new venue this year. The team will no longer compete at the New England Championships, but will instead wrap up the year - barring individual qualifications for nationals - at the first-ever NESCAC Championships.
While the team lost 16 seniors to graduation, including All-New England swimmer Lisa Vernoy, it now gains several freshman, the most promising of whom include Mika Sumiyoshi and Amanda Bloom, who will look to overcome the adjustment from high school to college athletics.
The team will also be aided by the versatility of swimmers like juniors Sarah Hertzog and Miranda Eagles and sophomore Ashley Jennings. Other sophomore returnees include Shayna Burke, Emily Gordon, and Maurisa Riley.
"This team works hard and has a good attitude," Bigelow said. "They want to do well."
Other than the swimming events, there are two diving events in each meet, for a total of 36 points, which can often make the difference in close competitions. Seniors Sally Abbott and Sarah Booth and sophomore Angela Russo will lead the diving team, and should be helped by freshman addition Beth Wecksell.
"As a team, we look good" Abbott said. "I am excited about the season."
The season officially began for the Jumbos this past Saturday at Clark. The Jumbos took the meet 176-110, with first-place performances by Horton in the 100 and 200 breast (1:13, 2:38) and Gordon in the 1,000 freestyle (11:32).
"Gordon swam faster at this meet than all of last year" Bigelow said. "This was good for her confidence."
Other wins came from Sumiyoshi in the 200 freestyle (2:00) and 100 butterfly (1:03), Eagles in the 200 butterfly (2:25) and 500 freestyle (5:39), Bloom in the 100 freestyle (58.22), and Jennings in the 200 backstroke (2:23). Wecksell started her collegiate diving career with a third-place finish in the one-meter and a second place finish in the three-meter, while Russo finished second in the one-meter and third in the three-meter.
"This wasn't a pressure packed meet so we trained through it," Bigelow said. "The girls were tired going into the meet. We will swim faster at the end of the season."
The team's training regiment will remain heavy for the first half of the season in the hopes of qualifying for Nationals, a goal which can be reached with just one race team.
"As a senior I want to have a good time," Kuhn said. "On Saturday I was nervous about my races but more excited about the team and the racing atmosphere."
Tufts' next meet will come after the break against Wellesley; not hindered by NESCAC rules, Wellesley was able to practice as a team for four weeks more than Tufts. The home meet will take place Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m.
