The Virginia men's swimming and diving team will attempt to win their fifth consecutive conference title beginning today in Chapel Hill.
North Carolina's Koury Natatorium will host the 42nd annual ACC Men's Swimming and Diving Championships, a three-day meet ending on Saturday.
Virginia enters the competition regarded as the favorite in the eight-team field. The Cavaliers (8-1, 5-0 ACC)--ranked ninth nationally --share the top spot in the ACC with Florida State (11-2, 3-0), a team they did not face in dual meets. North Carolina is the third team which poses a legitimate threat to take the title, swimming in their home pool, and clinging to the No. 25 ranking in the Coaches Poll.
The Seminoles defeated Carolina in a dual on Jan. 11, 162-138. Despite both of their losses coming at the hands of ranked teams--No. 8 Florida and No. 18 BYU--Florida St. remains on the outside of the top 25 looking in.
The Cavaliers have not failed to meet expectations in 2003. Following a season that boasted 14 of the 30 All-ACC team members, as well as ACC men's swimmer of the year and ACC Meet MVP Luke Anderson, Virginia has dominated ACC opponents. The Cavaliers have won all five duals by an average of 50.4 points.
The single blemish on Virginia's record came from a visit to then No. 11 Tennessee. The Volunteers broke a 113-113 tie with a victory in the 400 freestyle relay, the final event of the meet. The Volunteer foursome recorded a time of 3:02.74, edging the Cavaliers' Jon Haag, Guy Yimsomruay, Ethan McCoy and Michael Raab by 1.59 seconds.
Virginia is 4-1 this year against ranked teams. Their non-conference schedule included trips to No. 2 Auburn, No. 12 Tennessee, No. 16 Pittsburgh and No. 17 Penn State. In the weak ACC, head coach Mark Bernardino believes in the importance of preparing his swimmers and divers for the postseason.
"We have athletes who really haven't learned any of the lessons of a defeat in a really long time," Bernardino said. "I've always believed that it behooves you to swim against people who are as good or better than you because that's the only way you can improve. Ultimately what that will do is prepare the athletes for the most important competitions of the year which are the conference championships and the NCAAs."
One of the main reasons for the lack of experience in defeat is Anderson, the six foot-five inch junior from Charlottesville. Anderson comes from an athletic lineage. Born to Carl, a former football captain for Joe Paterno at Penn State, and brother to Brian, a former UNC All-American lacrosse player, Luke has added several honors and awards to the family mantel--12-time ACC champion, 9-time All-American, and one of only fifteen Virginia swimmers named to the ACC 50th Anniversary Men's Swimming and Diving Team.
Anderson holds the fastest times in the ACC this season in both the 50 freestyle (19.95) and 100 freestyle (43.82). He set school records in the same events last season, posting times of 19.68 and 43.08, respectively.
A victory would place Bernardino's 1999-2003 squad into an elite fraternity alongside the 1991-1995 men's soccer team and the 1983-1987 women's outdoor track team as the only programs in school history to win five conference championships in a row. The early 1990s Virginia soccer dynasty was led by current U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena, who went on to guide a young club to the best World Cup finish in U.S. history in South Korea/Japan last summer.
While Arena used his collegiate success as a launching pad to the pro ranks -- he led the D.C. United to two MLS Cups in three seasons --- Bernardino has seen his 25-year Virginia coaching career peak in the last five seasons.
"Every year is a new year and every journey for the championship is a new journey -- a new quest," said Bernardino. "You never really get to the top of the mountain."
With six overall ACC titles to his name, Bernardino may not have reached the top of his profession --- but with a little help from Anderson, he could join the ranks as one of the most successful coaches in Virginia sports history.
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