For most University students, a month-long Winter Break offers opportunities to relax, travel and spend time with family and friends. Removed from homework deadlines and class schedules, the past semester fades to memory.
For the members of the Virginia swimming and diving program, however, these same weeks in December and January reflect the continuation, rather than completion, of goals set at the beginning of the year. The No. 12 Cavalier women (4-0, 2-0 ACC) participated in the Auburn Invitational in early December and traveled to Raleigh to take on ACC opponent NC State on Jan. 11. The No. 9 Virginia men (4-1, 2-0) competed in both meets and also swam against No. 12 Tennessee in Knoxville last Tuesday. The divers also competed in the Georgia Diving Invitational earlier this month.
The Auburn Invitational provided the Cavaliers with some of their stiffest competition so far this season. Swimming against national powerhouses Auburn and California, the Cavalier squads performed strongly.
The men placed second behind now No. 2 Auburn, while the women secured third place behind defending NCAA champion and current No. 1 Auburn and second-place No. 9 California.
"I think for the most part the team did really well at Auburn," senior Mirjana Boveska said. "This meet was a nice change from previous years when we had the Cavalier Invitational. It was more beneficial for us to be able to race teams like Auburn and Cal before NCAAs. It's a good way for everyone to see where they are in the season. A few swimmers also made their NCAA cuts at this meet as well, so overall I think we did a good job."
Boveska's winning time in the 1650-yard freestyle event qualified the senior for the NCAAs. Freshman Rachel Burke also obtained the NCAA "A" time in the same event.
Meanwhile, in the final day of competition, the men emerged victorious in four individual events. Freshman Francis Crippen, who won the 1650 freestyle, and sophomore Michael Raab in the 200 butterfly automatically qualified for the NCAAs with their times. Juniors Luke Wagner, who won the 200 backstroke, and Luke Anderson in the 100 free, registered NCAA "B" times.
"Auburn was a major turning point in our season," Anderson said. "We were able to step up and swim fast with minimal rest, improving our national ranking and boosting our confidence going into the main part of the college season."
The trip to Raleigh proved less competitive as the Cavaliers routed the Wolfpack. The Virginia women posted a 153-87 victory while the men won 156-85.
For the men, the perfect record came to an end days later in Knoxville in a heart-wrenching loss to the 11th-ranked Volunteers. Entering the final event of the meet -- the 400 free relay -- tied 113-113, a Tennessee team touched in at 3 minutes, 2.74 seconds to win the meet.
"It's frustrating watching an event that you have put your heart and soul into wither and slip from your hands in the final moments," Anderson said. "It's similar to leading a basketball game for two halves and then losing the game on a buzzer beater
you feel cheated."
Anderson was quick to correct any assumption that the team might have dealt with intense disappointment after the meet.
"I would not consider the loss to be a disappointment. There is a strong difference between losing and being defeated," Anderson said. "We lost the meet, but were certainly not defeated."
With only four dual meets remaining before the ACC Championships and NCAAs, Virginia hopes to use the competition as post-season preparation.
"Everyone is looking forward to swimming fast and racing hard, with the goal to win," Bosevska said.
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