Jumbos holding nothing back

This time it counts.

After a three week break, the well-rested Jumbos are more than ready to get back in the pool as they head to Bowdoin this weekend for the annual NESCAC championship swim meet.

Despite falling 144-114 to Williams in their final regular season match-up, the 8-1 Tufts' men's swimming and diving team enters the start of competition Friday with subtle confidence and customary modesty.

"All the other meets were preparation for this meet. Our record doesn't count, and all the teams go in with a fair chance to win it all," senior tri-captain Greg Schmidt said. "Our [8-1] dual meet record doesn't mean anything."

Last season, the Jumbos finished third out of the 11 team field, upping the 2001-2002 team's fourth place result. Tufts finished fifth during the 2000-2001 campaign.

"Every year since I've been here we've moved up a place," Schmidt continued. "We have a very good team, the same if not better than last year's [team]. But no matter what, it's going to be a battle when we get up there."

Certainly, second place would be a much heralded finish for the Jumbos. However, aspiring for the title of NESCAC Champions isn't necessarily out of the question, according to Tufts' coach Don Megerle.

"If our guys are completely focused and prepared, and we swim our best day ever, who knows," Megerle said. "We might be able to catch them."

'Them' refers to Williams, who has won the last two NESCAC championships and has spoiled Tufts' otherwise perfect regular seasons in two of the past three years. However, while the Jumbos have also not beaten Williams in swimming since before 1999, Megerle's words are not to be taken lightly.

The Jumbo legend, who is finishing up his 33rd consecutive season at the helm of the watery bunch, is recognized throughout all divisions of college athletics as one of the premier swim coaches in the nation. He currently organizes both the Division III and Division I NCAA swim championships, holds the prestigious title of Tufts Master Coach, and is rumored to be an upcoming recipient this year of a lifetime athletic achievement award from both Tufts and his Alma matter Bethany College.

Needless to say, there are high expectations for Tufts at the NESCAC's, by any standards.

Tufts torched the competition this season, winning all eight of their victorious dual-meets by a margin of 44 points or more. Four different times this season, the Jumbos reached the 200 point mark, which, against a college swim team, compares to one side scoring 20 runs in baseball game or eight goals in a soccer match.

To add to the hype, while it was Wesleyan who came closest to beating Tufts in the scoring column during the regular season in losing 161.5-117.5, Megerle had given a few top Jumbo swimmers rest that day. Further, most of the team was preparing for the more anticipated match-up against MIT the following day.

Tufts will say goodbye to its final round of seniors following the meet's completion on Sunday. Swimmers Sam Burlingame, Tyler Duckworth, Nick Ghoussaini, Aeric Solow, along with tri-captains Schmidt, Jamie Meyers, and Kaili Mauricio will all be saying their final farewells to the team after NESCAC's have finished.

There is the possibility that some Jumbos may continue on to the NCAA championships. In order to continue onto the final level of competition, they will need to reach preset qualifying times this weekend.