The men's swimming and diving team in March sent nine of its members to Minneapolis, Minn., to compete in the NCAA Championships. That was the largest contingent the Jumbos had produced in coach Adam Hoyt's six-year tenure at Tufts, and Hoyt believes that there are even brighter things to come.
Only two of the Jumbos' national championship-qualifying athletes were seniors, so seven of them will return to lead this year's squad, giving Tufts an impressive group of veterans in addition to a promising array of first-year swimmers. Even though league rules prevented the Jumbos from holding official practices until Nov. 1, the team was already hard at work earlier this fall.
"We are all very motivated this year, from the seniors to the freshmen," senior quad-captain Brian Canter said. "There were a lot more guys in the pool in September, and the freshmen came in excited from high school, so the whole team is in great swimming shape."
The team's three other captains this season will be fellow seniors Gordy Jenkins, Joe Lessard and Michael Del Moro, who is also a news editor for the Daily.
Tufts finished second in last year's NESCAC Championships, amassing 1,452.5 points but falling well short of host Williams' total of 1,937.5. It was the Jumbos' fourth runner-up result in the past five seasons, and they are hopeful that this might be their year to clinch the top spot.
"We're looking to reach new heights this year," Canter said. "We have one of the top swimmers in the conference in [junior] Owen Rood, and we definitely want to defend our title in the 200-yard medley relay, which we've won the past two years."
Rood, who excels in freestyle sprints, was one of eight Jumbos who received All-Conference recognition last winter. The Branford, Conn., native was honored in three freestyle events as well as the medley relay, giving him eight All-NESCAC credits in his first two years at Tufts.
But the Jumbos' success isn't the product of just a few swimmers — rather, the team's depth and chemistry are what make it one of the best in the conference.
"We have the biggest squad in the NESCAC almost every year, and that really helps us stay fresh and compete with other teams," Hoyt, who will field a roster of 46 swimmers and divers this winter, said.
"Having all those guys on the pool deck encouraging and cheering on their teammates is really important to us," Canter said. "We don't have the best facilities, but we still have one of the biggest swimming and diving teams in the country, and we're a really cohesive group that supports each other."
Tufts will open the 2010 season tomorrow, with a home meet against Bates at 6 p.m. On Saturday, the Jumbos will travel to New London, Conn., where they will face off against Conn. College and Middlebury at 3 p.m. The Panthers finished fourth in last year's NESCAC Championships, while the Camels came in sixth and the Bobcats ranked eighth.
"We know we can do well in these first couple of meets, and we're going to have to work hard from the start," Hoyt said. "Middlebury, Conn. College and Bates have some talented athletes, but we definitely expect to perform well against them."
Tufts will have its most important meet of the regular season on Jan. 15, when the team will return early from winter break to visit the Ephs. This year's NESCAC Championships will be held at Bowdoin on Feb. 25-27, while the NCAA Championships will take place at the University of Tennessee on Mar. 23-25.
"Last year, when we placed 20th at nationals, was our best result since I came to Tufts," Canter said. "Our goal is definitely to improve on that this season."
