The wait is over for the East's No. 1 women's swimming and diving team.

For weeks, the Lady Lions (9-1) have waited for the Eastern Women's Swimming League Championships. Now, with the three-day championships set to begin today at Princeton's DiNunzio Natatorium, the team is ready to recapture the glory it gained last year by winning the Eastern Championship over Harvard on the last event.

Two divers and 17 swimmers left for Princeton on Tuesday, but which 19 was a tough decision for Coach Bob Krimmel to make.

"People have worked all year for this opportunity," Krimmel said. "You can't take all the people who deserve to go."

After winning its last nine meets, the team has had the last two weeks off to prepare for the long-awaited event. The time off may prove to be the difference in the meet.

"I've enjoyed having the time off," Krimmel said. "The key now is the mental preparation."

"We've got some energy," diving coach Craig Brown added. "We're mentally and physically tough."

Six events, the 200-yard freestyle relay, 500 freestyle, 200 individual medley, 50 freestyle, 1-meter diving and 400 medley relay, are scheduled for today.

Amy Schmidt will look to become the first Lady Lion diver to win consecutive championships on the 1-meter board. Schmidt and defending 3-meter champion Lara vonSeelan use the pressure to repeat as an advantage.

"There's always pressure going into a meet when you're the defending champion," Schmidt said. "But we look at more as a challenge than pressure."

Two Pitt divers, Christa Ratliff and Donna Flatch, are expected to be the biggest challengers to the crown. Schmidt came in third behind the two in the dual meet on Jan. 12.

"We're not real worried about anybody except the (divers) for Pitt," Brown said.

Swimmers that could play key roles in today's events are Heather Nicholson in the 500 freestyle, Jen Baird in the 200 individual medley and Kristin Lilly and Fran McDermid in the 50 freestyle. Nicholson has been the Lady Lions' distance specialist all season. She swam her best time in the event this season (4:59.57) at the DiNunzio Natatorium during the Princeton Invitational.

Baird has been the freshman sensation this season. She has been dominant in butterfly and individual medley events. Her best time in the 200 individual medley this season was 2:11.03 during the dual meet with Princeton on Dec. 8.

Lilly is competing in her last Eastern Championships. The eight-time champion will look to win her first title in the 50 freestyle. Lilly's best time this season is 24.10, which she turned in during the team's upset win over Virginia.

McDermid was on four championship relays last year and holds the team record in the 50 freestyle (23.51). She had a season best time of 24.19 during the meet against Princeton.

As for the keys to winning the championship, Krimmel does not look to any one event. He looks more towards the team's strength, which is good swimmers across the board.

"Consistency is the key," Krimmel said. "You have to be good in all events, rather than just great in one event."

Krimmel added he does not feel the pressure to repeat. Actually, repeating has not been difficult in the EWSL. In fact, only Pittsburgh, who won the title in 1979, was unable to defend its championship at least once.

"The other teams may use it as a motivation," Krimmel said. "But, this is a different team and we've done different things this year."

The team would also like to see the meet be as close as it was last season. Krimmel is confident his team can win the close one.

"We're not strong enough to blow anybody out in a three-day meet," he said. "We hope it comes down to the wire."