Setting goals is easy; waiting and watching them come true is agonizing.

Returning from a long ride home from Auburn, Ala., Penn State swimming and diving coach Bill Dorenkott was frustrated by the fact that his eight swimmers and divers competing at the NCAA Championships had not been able to hold their seeds and place better then their 22nd place showing.

Like any admirable coach, he took the brunt of the blame, saying his staff had the team peaking at the wrong time.

But when questioned about the future of the team, his mood changed to optimism, noting that six of the eight swimmers receiving honorable mention All-America honors at the championships would be returning next year.

This is one mood swing that he will not mind.

The goal after the first two meets of the season for the Nittany Lions against highly regarded Florida and Virginia may have been to just keep their heads above the water, as the Lions were thoroughly defeated by better competition.

However, Dorenkott and his staff kept their goals in order, always stressing that the final product that showed up at the Big Tens and the NCAAs would be the real measuring stick.

Then came winter break and a training trip to Florida, a trip that senior Susan Janoski at the time said brought the Lions "so much closer as a team."

"It was probably the turning point of our season," said Big Ten Freshman of the Year Amberle Biedermann.

After break, the Lions began to make waves, defeating powerhouses Tennessee and South Carolina as well as undefeated Big Ten rival Indiana on the way to seven straight dual-meet victories.

The Lions continued this success into the Big Ten Championships, where they broke a slew of Big Ten, school and championship records on their way to a solid third-place finish.

However, the Lions hit a road bump on the way to Alabama, as they placed in the middle of the pack.

The middle of the pack can be seen as a success of sorts, considering where the program was six years ago, when the Lions placed last at the Big Ten Championships. Under Dorenkott, the Lions have progressed steadily, culminating in last year's Big Ten title, and an 11th-place showing at the NCAAs a year earlier.

Dorenkott's frustration over the weekend stems from the fact that the Lions had taken so many steps forward and now a small step back.

Optimism and talent abounds for next year, however, with the Lions only losing four senior swimmers.

Having the team embrace the kind of work ethic he likes, Dorenkott likes what he sees for the team next year.

"The girls are excited, the staff is excited and the future is definitely bright," Dorenkott said.

Penn State diving coach Craig Brown echoed the head coach's sentiments, noting that the girls are excited to get back to work.

"I'm very, very excited with the group that we have in place," Brown said. "They're young, talented and they dealt well with the training."

The Lions will get right back at it two weeks from now, and have a busy summer schedule ahead, as each individual heads off in her own direction. However, the Lions will all be working towards the same thing, the same goals.

"For us, you always got an iron in the fire," Dorenkott said.

Now all they have to do is wait till next year.