This weekend, the Virginia swimming and diving team is looking for back-to-back victories as they host ACC opponents Duke and North Carolina tonight and Saturday afternoon, respectively.
"This is kind of a dress rehearsal for the ACC Championships," captain Stefan Hirniak said. "It's a chance for everyone to swim fast and get some good swims under their belt before the real meet."
This weekend's double-header is part of Virginia coach Mark Bernardino's training strategy. With the upcoming conference championships running three consecutive days, back-to-back meets force the Cavaliers to be ready -- both physically and mentally -- to race successively.
"This helps prepare the athletes to swim hard, swim aggressively and swim fast one day after the next," Bernardino said. "This is the method we use to prepare the kids and help them realize that they will have to be focused for three days of competition. Doing this back-to-back with Duke and Carolina starts building an adaptation for that."
After being swept by Florida two weeks ago, Virginia is looking for its first win in 2007. In preparation for the ACC double-header, practice this week has included more speed work. Bernardino said he is expecting performances at a much higher level of excellence than he saw against the Gators.
"I think they look crisper in the practice pool," Bernardino said. "And I am a big believer in 'How you practice is how you perform.' I think we have practiced better this week than the last two weeks and hopefully that will be reflected in our races."
Last year, Virginia traveled to North Carolina and swept both the Blue Devils and the Tar Heels. In Durham, the Cavaliers won 20 of the day's 26 events while at Chapel Hill, the Virginia men won 130-133 and the women 167-133.
Even though they will face Duke first tonight, the team is particularly focused and pumped for tomorrow's races against North Carolina. Such enthusiasm and excitement should make it easier for the Virginia swimmers to race well despite having little recovery time.
"I personally do not have a strategy for this weekend," freshman Katherine McDonnell said. "Every time I get up there to race, I just do the best I can and give it all I've got."
Historically, the Tar Heels are the Cavaliers' major conference rival. While in the last decade Virginia has been dominant in the dual meets, North Carolina nevertheless still holds a winning record against the Cavaliers.
"In the last two years, Duke's program has come along very well and we anticipate a real good contest with them," Bernardino said. "But Carolina is our number-one rival in the ACC and ours has been the premier rivalry in the conference. I'm confident that both teams will come in here very juiced up and very excited to race."
Emotions should be running equally high, if not higher, on the Tar Heel side as it will be coach Frank Comfort's last meet against Virginia. After 30 years of coaching at Carolina, he will step down at the end of this season.
"I expect this to be one of the top meets in the country this weekend," Bernardino said. "It will be a great meet and a great chance for students to come out and support the team. We could really, really use their encouragement this weekend."
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