M. Swimming off to ECAC champs

The Penn men's swimming team heads to Pittsburgh, Pa. this weekend to compete in the annual Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships. Starting tomorrow, many Penn swimmers end their successful 2002-2003 season with the three day event at the University of Pittsburgh's Trees pool. Competitors in this weekend's championship must qualify to swim in their respective events by turning in competitive times throughout the year. "This is what we have been training so hard for," Penn freshman Jason Oberman said. "We have been resting the last couple of weeks for this event so that we can finish strong." While Penn coach Mike Schnur is saving some of his top swimmers to ensure a solid performance at the Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming League championships next weekend, he explains that this meet is not to be taken lightly. "This is a great opportunity for some of our guys to finish off their season well," Schnur said. "We want our athletes to perform well in every race that they swim in." The annual championship features swimmers from virtually all of the top northeastern Division I programs. "It's always a good test to go up against guys from some of the bigger programs in the region," Schnur said. That being said, the Red and Blue compete this weekend without the presence of perhaps their biggest motivator -- their head coach. Away at the Ivy League women's championships, Schnur will be with his male squad only in spirit. "It will be a little weird without coach Schnur but hopefully it won't be a big deal," Oberman said. "We have a great assistant coach who will be with us." Penn assistant coach Cathy Holland leads roughly half of Penn's roster into Pittsburgh this weekend, leaving behind the very best that Penn has to offer. Schnur makes the division between Penn's top swimmers according to their times. He then designates the better times to go to the prestigious EISL championships starting on March 6th. The swimmers that are not selected for the event compete this weekend in Pittsburgh, if they have qualified for the meet. "This weekend gives some guys who haven't gotten to an opportunity to compete on a regular basis a chance to swim," Schnur said. While this weekend's team may not offer the program's present best, freshman Tim Howett explains that it could well contain its future top performers. "There are no bad swimmers on this team," Howett said. "The guys that are going this weekend all have the potential to do big things later on in their careers here." This especially applies to the members of Penn's extremely talented freshman class that will compete one last time this semester without having to worry about pacing themselves. "Coach Schnur just told us to go for it," Oberman said.

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