With the coaching staff preaching about the importance of Big Tens early and often this season, it's not surprising that the Penn State men's swimming and diving team is ecstatic to finally step into the spotlight and up to the blocks.
The No. 20 Nittany Lions look to cement numerous individual trips to NCAA championships and vie for the team title as they begin competition today in West Lafayette, Ind.
The meet is renowned for being one of the toughest in the country on a yearly basis, and this season is no different as the conference boasts six teams ranked in the country's top 20, according to the latest CollegeSwimming.com rankings.
The schedule is consistent for the three-day meet with afternoon preliminary sessions beginning at noon and evening finals sessions beginning at 7 p.m. at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center.
Senior Pat Schirk, the only national champion in program history, looks to earn his first-ever Big Ten individual title. Schirk will be competing in multiple events and relays, most notably the individual 200-backstroke on Saturday, an epic setting for the final day of competition.
A total of 22 swimmers and two divers embarked on the 11-hour, midwest-bound bus trip Tuesday morning from the McCoy Natatorium. Head coach John Hargis will experience his first conference championship meet at the helm of the Lions today, and knows his team's hard work will pay off in this decisive meet.
"The guys are ready," Hargis said with confidence. "If they watched the women last week, they should be extremely confident. This is a big stage but I'm just ready to see them swim fast and see them be rewarded for the work they put in all year. It's an opportunity there for the taking."
Hargis feels his athletes have shown great excitement during the course of this week and are as fired up as ever to prove themselves to the nation. The team is also set to utilize revolutionary TYR Tracer Rise swimsuits for the first time this season.
"You have to use them, or you're not going to be competitive anymore," Hargis said. "From a swimsuit standpoint, it will be a level playing field, and we are excited to give our kids the same opportunities that any other kid in the nation has to swim fast."
The team arrived at the venue 5 p.m. Tuesday and has had multiple warm-up sessions to help the team loosen up and prepare for its most meaningful meet until NCAA championships. Junior Basil Kaaki, who will be competing in four relays in the three-day meet, knows his team has an opportunity to put itself in great position in the next few days.
"I'm looking forward to getting my best times in, and to just see my teammates succeed after putting forth such a great effort this year," Kaaki said. "We need to have fun. We've already put in the work, so if we stay positive and don't get nervous, we could really surprise some people."
Diving coach Craig Brown also believes the team has the potential to reach its pinnacle of success in this meet. Brown said success hinges on the poise and presence one exhibits when faced with tough competition.
"If our boys go into that meet, and just stay nice and steady and stay within themselves, I'll be real proud of them because I know they will do well if they do that," Brown said. "These guys, on a daily basis, show some real brilliance. We just need to be brilliant on every single effort in Big Tens."
Brown called the conference "the toughest in the country by 500 percent," and said the high level of competition benefits his divers because exposure to top-notch competitors helps them develop and improve.
Hargis feels his team needs to be mentally prepared for the stiff competition, but also remain confident in its abilities.
"At the end of the day, they need to relax and enjoy the three days of fast swimming," Hargis said. "We will probably witness the fastest Big Ten meet that has ever taken place. It's what we've been building up for all year. It's an opportunity there for the taking."
With each of the 11 seniors on the squad healthy and set to soak in his final Big Ten meet, Hargis, as a former swimmer, has given his leaders valuable advice.
"I've been telling the seniors to just take it all in," Hargis said. "With this being their last Big Ten meet, they need to remember each moment that they walk onto that deck because it will be their last."
