Now that the Penn State men's swimming team has reached its halfway point of the season, it is time to look at what it has accomplished so far and what still needs to be done.

During winter break, the team competed in two meets where many positive signs for the future were found. Penn State men's swimming coach Bill Dorenkott explained that the late December meets were used as a training period for the team.

The team first traveled to Columbus, Ohio, for the Ohio State Invitational. Six of the 10 teams in the competition were Big Ten opponents. Penn State finished third overall behind Minnesota and Ohio State.

Unlike its opponents, Penn State did not take the meet as a must-win competition. Instead, the team used it as a strong starting point for its second half of the season.

"Most teams will rest up for a December meet but we're just saving it up for the second semester," Dorenkott said. "I think we'll be a lot more competitive next semester."

Senior diver Adam Pierce excelled at the meet finishing second and third in the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events, respectively. As a result of his strong performance, Pierce was named Big Ten Diver of the Week for the second straight week and fourth time this season.

Pierce and his teammates then traveled to the University of Florida for their second meet of the winter break. The 16th-ranked men came up short in a 156-133 score.

The high points of the meet included wins from Pierce, senior Chris Ippoliti, sophomore Sean Biedermann and the 200-yard freestyle relay team. Freshmen Tim Williams, Pat Schirk and Ryan DeWeese also came away with wins. Dorenkott took notice of the freshmen stepping up.

One concern at the beginning of the season was how the large group of freshmen would perform at the college level. Dorenkott and the upperclassmen have been pleasantly surprised with the success of the newcomers.

"We've got a freshman class with some talent," Dorenkott said. "It's nice to see some of those guys come around. One of the things we say about our freshmen is the idea of it being a four-year process. It's about getting the kids to swim faster for the next four years and in some cases beyond."

With one half of the season in the books, the men's schedule will only get tougher. Challenging teams in the future include Ohio State and Notre Dame. Another challenge for the swimmers is to handle the dense travelling schedule for the second half of the season.

Dorenkott plans on starting the new semester right by using this first week of practice as a readjustment period for the team. It is essential to get back into a routine and rhythm, according to Dorenkott. More important is that the swimmers are prepared for the second half of the season.

"This time of the year, it's critical to stay healthy," Dorenkott said. "We'll be traveling a lot this next semester so my primary concern right now is getting and staying healthy."

The men will start the semester hosting St. Bonaventure at 3 p.m. Saturday in the McCoy Natatorium. It will be the annual Senior Day meet.