With the most anticipated part of the season fast approaching, only one dual meet separates the Virginia men's and women's swimming and diving teams from the ACC Championships.
Both squads will face off against N.C. State Saturday in only the Cavaliers' third ACC matchup of the season. The Wolfpack men (6-2, 3-2 ACC) currently sit in fourth place behind the top-ranked Virginia men's team in the conference, and the Wolfpack women (7-2, 3-2 ACC) stand in fifth.
"We've tried to load up our schedule with a lot of the higher-ranked national teams and as such some of the ACC schools have fallen by the wayside," coach Mark Bernardino said. "It's the first time in quite a while that we've had N.C. State back on our schedule so we look forward to going down there and competing with them and seeing how they stack up."
The Cavalier men (7-1, 2-0 ACC) and women (5-2, 2-0 ACC) hope to benefit from any exposure to fellow conference teams - especially a relatively unfamiliar opponent like N.C. State - in the crucial weeks leading up to the ACC Championships later this month.
"I'm really looking forward to see the girls on that team and see what they have in terms of racing," freshman Rachel Naurath said. "I definitely need to have a grasp of what the competition is going to be like going into it, I like to be prepared."
Although N.C. State has not been on the Cavaliers' radar during the past couple seasons, Bernardino indicated that a competitive meet this weekend might spark the renewal of the rivalry that existed between the two programs throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
"It appears that N.C. State is rejuvenated and rebuilding and trying to put their program back together," Bernardino said.
Saturday's races will also mark the final opportunity for the Cavalier swimmers to impress their coach, who will soon create the final roster for the upcoming ACC Championships.
In what Bernardino refers to as their "final audition" for the championship team, Saturday's performances could determine how the remainder of the season progresses for several of the Cavalier men and women.
"We still have some unresolved questions as to what our traveling team make-up will be," Bernardino said. "We have just a couple spots left on both teams. It's really in the hands of the athletes, they have to step up and show something special or the coaches will have to make the best decision we can make given the circumstances we're under."
Bernardino hopes to rely on the leadership of seniors Scot Robison and Liz Shaw to guide the younger members on the squad during this final stretch of the regular season.
During the Cavaliers' most recent victories against Pittsburgh last weekend, Robison notched first-place finishes in the 50 freestyle and the 200 medley race, while Shaw touched first in the 200 butterfly.
If Robison, Shaw and the rest of the Cavaliers can repeat the successes of last weekend's dual meet in Saturday's tune-up, the defending ACC champions hope to be in a good position to defend their title.
Read More
Thank you, Reece Beekman
By Ben Istvan | 6 hours agoBeekman will leave Charlottesville as the program's all-time leader in steals.
Men’s basketball fills last scholarship, adds Kansas State transfer Dai Dai Ames
By Ben Istvan | 23 hours agoAmes will provide an offensive surge that the Cavaliers’ collective guard group lacked in 2023-24.
Baseball’s bullpen — previous despair and future repair
By Xander Tilock | YesterdayThe Cavaliers' struggles can be fixed by improved roster management and reliance on consistent relief pitchers.
