State College in January can sometimes be a very bleak place and practice can be just as dreary. So what better way to improve a teams mood than to pack up and head south.

For the Penn State women's swimming team, they relished the opportunity for diversion.

They spent ten days in Florida, first in Naples for what turned out to be a very valuable training camp, then Gainesville for a meet against number eight ranked University of Florida.

"We've been down to Coral Springs the last three years but found a better pool situation in Naples with the combining of the two teams," Penn State coach Bill Dorenkott said.

Dorenkott feels that the team is on the verge of putting it all together. They had a solid fall campaign and are looking to accomplish the goals set early on. Sophomore Kristen Woodring said the experience was definitely worth while and hopes the team will continue to improve.

"We accomplished a lot down there. We had fun but we also worked hard day-in and day-out and we feel good with where we're at," Woodring said.

Dorenkott also liked the progress his team has made.

"We are on track to accomplish our goals," he said. "It's a constant process but the women have a pretty good sense of what they want."

Naples, which is located on the West Coast of Florida about four hours from Gainesville, also presented an opportunity for the team to switch its focus.

For the better part of three months, the swimming teams' primary focal point was on aerobic training. However, they are now switching gears to concentrate more on building up speed and improving on what Dorenkott refers to as "race pace."

The women trained for about five hours a day and took that same intensity and determination with them to Gainesville this past Saturday.

"We had a solid performance from top to bottom but they (Florida) are probably a step ahead of us," Dorenkott said.

The team lost a hard fought meet, losing 128-111 but not without coming away with victories in five events.

Freshmen Erin Mulshenock won the 200-yard backstroke while Woodring took the 200-yard breaststroke. Penn State also came away with victories in the 400-yard medley relay, 500-yard freestyle and 1650-yard freestyle. Four of the times earned NCAA provisional qualifying marks.

Woodring says she was pleased with the way 18th ranked Penn State represented itself against a quality opponent.

"I think we did very well as a team. Knowing they were ranked eighth we weren't taking them lightly," Woodring said. "Bill just wanted us to give them good races and give them a good meet."

Dorenkott said he is pleased with the work his team accomplished over the break but knows they still have more to do.

"We're by no means where we want to be but we're on track."