With the trees going bare and the weather getting colder in Athens, another winter season is coming to a head.
Similar to previous years, coach Greg Werner is treating the 2013 campaign just like any other.
“It’s an interesting sport in the fact that we work up to the championship,” Werner said. “We make our master plan for the MAC (Mid-American Conference) Championship and our first step to the championship is preparing for these meets.”
The Bobcats finished second at the MAC Championships last season behind Miami.
“My expectations stay the same throughout the years, though, and I want our team to advance as individuals, as a team and ultimately as a program,” he added.
The Bobcats, which are projected to place third in the MAC in the preseason coaches poll, will head to Ball State on Saturday to jumpstart their regular season.
“I feel like we’re good enough to (place third),” Werner said. “It’s a long season, a lot has to happen in the meantime and a lot can happen, but I think we have tons of talent.”
With just four seniors on the team, Werner will look for swimmer Laurin Williams, Rachel Stearns and MaryRose Hillstorm, along with diver Kristin Capcik to lead the youthful team this season.
Capcik, who hails from Milwaukee, Wis., was named to the All-MAC dive team last season after she set a program record on the three-meter board with a score of 337.35.
“In conjunction with our team captains, I’ll really rely on these four to lead this team,” Werner said. “Four is a pretty small group, usually you have five or six, but these girls are really sound performers and sound individuals.”
Werner went on to say his team was blessed to have such strong, veteran swimmers such as Williams.
“She’s a conference freestyle champion,” Werner said. “She finished really strong last year and there is no indication she won’t do well this year.”
After the meet with Ball State, 11-time MAC champion Bobcats will host meets against Buffalo and Marshall on Nov. 2 and Nov. 8, respectively.
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