Emotions will run high at McCoy Natatorium tomorrow when the No. 17 women's swimming and diving team (7-1) goes against LaSalle.

Because it will be the final home meet for eight graduating seniors, the day is designated "Senior Day" in honor of the Class of '91. The senior class has, including this season, a combined four-year record of 38-8.

A tradition for this special day is Coach Bob Krimmel letting the seniors choose the event they want to swim.

"We'll highlight the fact that our eight seniors are competing for the last time in the natatorium," Krimmel said. "It's an emotional day for us."

The eight graduating seniors are Debbie Finn, Jane Kleiderlein, Lisa Maximo, Kathy Trapp, Kristen Tressler, Lara vonSeelan and co-captains Deb Wilder and Kristin Lilly.

"It's sad," Lilly said. "It's a strange feeling that it's the last time that I'll ever swim in the natatorium for Penn State."

"You have mixed emotions," Wilder added. "You just never anticipate the last home meet."

With all the ceremonies and emotions, it is easy to forget about the meet. Even though the team is a heavy favorite against the Lady Explorers (5-5), Krimmel notes that LaSalle is always well-prepared.

"They do a good job in training," he said. "They're always in good condition."

The Lady Lions are coming off their biggest dual-meet win in years, upsetting Virginia last Saturday. The focus now is not on the opposition, but on themselves.

"The talk has been about what we need to do these last four weeks to get ready for the end of the season," Krimmel said. "We need to know where we're going and what we want to do."

The team has its sights on a repeat victory at the Eastern Championships, and are using these final few meets to prepare for its goal.

"We hope to repeat," Krimmel said. "If you don't set lofty goals, then there's no sense setting them."

But tomorrow belongs to the seniors, in what surely will be an emotional day.

"It marks the end of a four-year time period for our seniors," Krimmel said. "We're going to miss their personalities."

"All the friends that I've made here, it's going to be hard to leave them," Wilder added. "It's just like a family."