It is a day Lady Lion swimmer Deni Rudy did not want to come.

But like it or not, Rudy and her senior teammates will swim tomorrow in a dual meet at McCoy Natatorium for the last time.

Over the next few weeks, the Lady Lions will spend many hours in the natatorium in preparation for the Big Ten and NCAA Championships.

But when No. 21 Penn State (9-1) faces Villanova (5-0) at 1 p.m. tomorrow, the Lady Lion seniors will get a final taste of the home-pool advantage.

"I can't believe it," Rudy said. "It's sad because swimming has been such a big part of my life. The girls on the team are my very best friends and they're like a family -- the love and support of the team has been great.

"But practices I don't think I'll miss as much. They would be at the bottom of my list."

While Rudy will miss her teammates and coaches, Coach Bob Krimmel has a plan to prevent that from happening.

"We want to petition the NCAA to allow each of these seniors to have an extra year of eligibility," he joked. "This group's leadership has been great, their attitudes have been superior and they are some of the best student-athletes a coach could ever ask for."

For seniors Rudy, Jennifer Davis, Sarah Duttera, Carrie Scherer and Regan Stacey, the day will probably be emotional, and the competition will not be easy.

Defending Big East Champion Villanova boasts Meaghan McCaffery, an NCAA All-American in the sprint freestyle events, and freshman distance swimmer Amanda Cosman.

Villanova defeated Pitt last weekend, 126-112, only six days after Penn State beat the Panthers, 162-116. Last season, the Lady Lions bested the Wildcats by a comfortable 213-85 margin. Tomorrow, it may not be so easy.

"They have some swimmers that are faster this year," Duttera said. "They will provide challenges for some people. Overall, they are a better team than last year."