Swimmen look to bounce back against Big Ten rivals

If you consistently win, a loss can be a huge setback.

For these guys, it wasn't.

The Penn State men's swimming and diving team got off to a fantastic 6-0 start and then lost to Purdue about two weeks ago. The meet was especially difficult for the Lions to swallow -- they lost in the last event.

But two weeks was enough time to recuperate.

Now, as eager as ever, Penn State will face Northwestern, Ohio State and Iowa at noon today in Chicago, Ill. It will kick off a virtual non-stop swimming and diving competition until tomorrow night.

The three Big Ten opponents all have one loss, just like the Lions, and are looking to move up in the tight Big Ten standings. Penn State is 1-1 in Big Ten competition, with its only blemish being that nail-biter to Purdue. Despite the last-second loss, the Lions remain confident.

"We're not worried so much about wins and losses," Penn State senior Greg Stacey said. "We just want to show our opponents that we mean business."

Point well taken, but Ohio State and Iowa mean business when they face Penn State. Both teams beat the Lions by more than 40 points in their last meetings. Of the three opponents, Northwestern is the only team Penn State has beaten more than once. Overall, the Lions are a mere 4-12 against the three teams combined.

Although history is not on their side, the Lions like their chances this time.

"Everything is going to be really close," freestyler Jason Pollock said.

Depth may be an asset the Lions have that could make it closer than previous meets. Strong swimmers like Stacey, Steve Medei, David Boardman, Alvaro Velez and Dan Okoniewski give the Lions a great distribution of talent. This batch of swimmers gives Penn State a real chance in every event.

"Our depth should come through for us," coach Peter Brown said. "But it's going to come down to who wins the close races."

Penn State divers could prove to be an invaluable asset as well. The points divers accumulate can be the difference when meets are close. Divers Seth Kane, Drew Jackson, Chris Alderman and Richard Ross have had wonderful seasons thus far and if they can continue performing to the standard they have set, Penn State would improve its chances greatly.

Brown also added that the team has enjoyed a long stretch of productive practices and is very glad it has remained healthy throughout the cold season.

The virus-free Lions will see three above-average Big Ten opponents and will have a good idea of where they stand after the weekend is over.

The Lions are concerned with how they stack up against Big Ten competition because the Big Ten Championships are slowly coming around. The championships will be held in late February at Minneapolis and although that is an entire month away, some Lions are already getting pumped up.

"We see this whole weekend as preparation for the Big Ten Championships," freshman Steve Hodgins said. "That's what really matters to us."

So it doesn't matter if they win or lose, it's how they swim in February.