As the No. 9 Virginia men's swimming and diving squad prepares to defend its Conference title at the ACC Championship in Chapel Hill this weekend, Doak Finch also has an individual streak to keep alive.
The Cavalier senior has plenty of factors on his side as he aims for his fourth straight ACC crown in the 400-yard individual medley, but his most important ally may be his health. As Finch learned last year at this time, if you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything.
"I was sick from the middle of January all the way through the Conference meet" last year, Finch said. "I lost about 15 pounds. At first I had some sort of mono-like virus and then I caught some sort of bug and couldn't eat. My immune system was down and I picked up all the little things that were going around campus. It just seemed to be not my year."
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But living up to his reputation as one of the team's most intense competitors, Finch won both the 200 and 400 IMs, helping Virginia take its third ACC title by six and a half points.
"No one could stop me from competing because I had trained all year and I knew the team needed me, so I went ahead and swam," Finch said.
Finch's illness also forced him to cut back on his training last year.
"I had to cut back last year before ACCs - in the middle of January - to help my body recover, which probably hurt me in the long run for the ACCs and the NCAAs," Finch said. "It's just made this year all the sweeter because I've been healthy and it's going to be a great end to the season."
When Thomas Doak Jefferson Finch arrived at Mr. Jefferson's university from Southern Pines, N.C., he was a raw swimmer, a jack-of-all-trades. Since then, Finch, who also will swim the 100 and 200 butterfly this weekend, has developed into one of the best butterfly and individual medley swimmers in the ACC.
"Doak's developed into one of the best kickers that U.Va. has ever had," Cav assistant coach Bill Smyth said. "He's developed mentally into one of the sharpest and toughest competitors we've ever had at U.Va. He's gone from being a kid that barely made the NCAA cut to a NCAA national title contender. He's made himself into what he is today."
Along the way, Finch could look to his teammates for inspiration, especially former Virginia superstar Shamek Pietucha, who graduated in 1999.
"If anybody, Doak may have been in the shadow of Shamek Pietucha over the last couple of years," Smyth said. "Shamek won NCAAs in the 200 fly, which is one of Doak's best events. I think that lit a fire inside Doak for him to see what somebody [else] from the program is capable of doing."
As a senior quad-captain, Finch does not consider himself a vocal leader, but his actions speak louder than any of his words ever could.
"Doak's been an outstanding role model," Smyth said. "The way he conducts himself on deck, in the pool, during practice, after races - there's nobody better."
When the coaching staff accompanied the Cav women to North Carolina last week for their ACC Championship meet, Finch and his fellow captains ran the men's practices. No problem.
Stepping in for the coaches "has been pretty good," Finch said. "Everyone's getting together and everyone's basically pretty much focused on [ACCs]. There's not much fooling around and guys are pretty serious about it. We all get along, we all respect what each other thinks, so whenever someone says something we usually listen and try to do it."
When the men's team enters Chapel Hill this weekend for the ACCs, Finch will be looking to showcase his talents in the water, helping the Cavaliers repeat as ACC champions. He is especially excited about gunning for the Conference record in the 200 fly, a mark held by Pietucha.
"I'm really looking forward to the 200 fly," Finch said. "I'd really like to go out with the ACC record in that. It's just the battle between Shamek and I these past three years."
This weekend, Finch hopes to join with senior Austin Ramirez and sophomore Ed Moses to lead the Cavaliers to another championship. Finch's ACC rivals had best beware - he pulled off a pair of wins last year when he was sick. Just think what he might do while healthy.
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