After months of extensive training, intense competition and a successful 9-1 regular season that culminated in a second-place finish at the ACC Championships, 10 members of the Virginia women's swimming team will travel to Austin, Texas this weekend to compete in the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.
The 10 women representing the Cavalier squad are senior Megan Roesch, juniors Mirjana Bosevska, Lindsey Crane and Cara Lane, sophomores Amy Baly and Carlie Dykehouse and freshmen Carrie Ellis, Andrea Georoff, Laura Lipskis and Katie McWilliams. Six of the women will compete in three individual events while another two will swim in two. Additionally, the Cavaliers qualified for three freestyle relays.
In the previous three years, the Cavalier women have placed in the top 12 of the NCCA field. This precedent offers Virginia a sense of confidence and purpose. The women have said that they believe a top 10 finish is well within their reach. Coach Mark Bernardino, in his 23rd year as the head of the program, agrees.
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"We've struggled some with chemistry in the past two seasons," he said. "But this year, the women really have unity. Throughout the season, on a daily basis, they've focused on team goals and have cared for one another. Each woman understands her role on the team and knows that she is critical to the team's success."
Of the 10 women, freestyle competitor Megan Roesch is the sole graduating senior on a squad that includes four freshmen.
"It's really important for us to get first years to the NCAAs," senior Caitlin Anderson, the team's only other senior, said. "They learn what the meet is all about. They can pass that knowledge on to upperclassmen who haven't competed at the level and to the incoming freshman class."
Junior Katey Danforth agreed with Anderson but further stressed the need for leadership from the upperclassmen.
"The upperclassmen are going to have to be there for the freshman," she said. "Even though they've swum in big meets in high school and know how to handle pressure, the freshmen aren't going to be exactly sure what NCAAs are all about. All upperclassmen are really going to be influencing younger girls and showing them how to do it and deal with the pressure. That's where the leadership of our upperclassmen becomes important."
This weekend, Roesch will compete in the 50, 100 and 200-meter freestyle events. In last year's NCAA Championship, Roesch swam in the 50 and 200 events and received an honorable mention All-American for her contribution to Virginia's eleventh-place 800 free relay team.
"This has been Megan's best year by far," Anderson said. "She has a really good chance of stepping it up."
In addition to the 500 free and 200 butterfly, junior Lane will attempt to defend her two national championships in the 1650 free. The 2000 and 2001 ACC Swimmer of the Year and team captain battled with injuries during the first six weeks of the season but won both the 500 and 1650 frees at the recent ACC Championships.
The 2002 ACC Meet Most Valuable Swimmer, Bosevska, is another Championships veteran, garnering a 2001 first-team All-American in the 400 IM. She is seeded fifth in the event this year and seventh in the 200 IM. Additionally, Bosevska will square off in the 200 butterfly.
Bernardino also cites sophomore Baly as a key component of the team's leadership. The third piece of the tri-captain puzzle, Baly will compete in the same three events she swam at the 2001 Championships - the 500 and 1650 free and the 400 IM.
Of the four freshman, Georoff qualified to compete in three events, Ellis and Lipskis in two and McWilliams in one.
The NCAA Championships open today with the final round of competition Saturday.
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