The weather finally seems warm enough for a quick swim and the Virginia men's and women's swimming teams are preparing for their final home meet against the University of Pittsburgh on Sunday.
Entering the contest, both Cavalier teams sit among the nation's 25 strongest. The College Swim Coaches Association of America poll places the Virginia women (8-0) at No. 14 and the men (6-2) at No. 12.
Coach Mark Bernardino said he is pleased with the progress of his women's squad this year. The Cavaliers are ranked first in the ACC, a position many did not expect at the beginning of the season.
On Jan. 19, the women pulled a 156-144 upset in Chapel Hill against ACC rival North Carolina. At the time, UNC was ranked 12th in the country and was considered the conference's best team.
"Not many people gave us a chance against UNC," Bernardino said. "But the women truly believed we could do something special."
Last weekend, in Columbia, S.C., the Cavaliers kept their perfect dual-meet record alive against the University of South Carolina squad, finishing with a final score of 131-111. Led by junior Cara Lane, the women won seven of 13 events. Lane was named ACC Women's Swimmer of the Week for the third consecutive week, posting victories in the 1000-meter freestyle, 500 free and 200 butterfly.
Virginia's upcoming opponents, the Pittsburgh women (3-5), dropped their last two meets against Maryland and Villanova. But Bernardino noted the Panthers' top-25 finish for the 2000-2001 season and predicted that Sunday's meet will be competitive.
Meanwhile, in their loss to the No. 8 Gamecocks, the Cavalier men fell to 6-2 on the season. Currently first and undefeated in the ACC, the men's other loss came against fourth-ranked Tennessee on Jan. 11.
"The meets against No. 4 Tennessee and No. 8 South Carolina were [the men's team's] pivotal tests thus far," Bernardino said. "We haven't passed that test. In both meets, a combined total of less than four-tenths of a second has been the difference between victory and defeat. I don't feel a good team should lose close, pivotal races and maybe right now, that's what's separating us from being a top-10 team."
Virginia sophomore Ian Prichard, who won the 500 free against USC, concurs.
"We would really liked to have won those meets," he said.
This year, the men lack a strong senior leadership that defined them in previous seasons. Bernardino speculated that his young team may have enjoyed too much success last season. He also pointed to Virginia's challenging and upgraded schedule.
Indeed, the unbeaten Panther men (6-0) arrive in Charlottesville ranked No. 18, making them Virginia's third ranked opponent in as many meets. Most recently, Pittsburgh posted wins over Maryland and Villanova.
"On paper, they're not as good as we are," Pritchard said. "But they're not a team we're going to walk all over. We can't go in with a complacent attitude."
Indeed, as the regular swimming season enters its final stretch, Bernardino aptly dubs Sunday's meet "a severe test" for both teams.
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