M. Swimming opens season with Tigers, Big Red

The Penn men's swimming team may have lost four Eastern Interscholastic Swimming League finalists to graduation, but the team remains stronger and more determined than ever before.

"We lost a couple of good guys, but the program has only continued to get better with each year," senior co-captain Eric Hirschhorn said. "Our strength lies in the depth of the team and everything that its members contribute."

Boasting 30 returning letterwinners, 15 returning EISL Championship scorers, two senior national qualifiers and two NCAA consideration qualifiers, the Quakers will officially begin their season this Saturday in Ithaca, N.Y., when they battle Cornell and Princeton.

For the Quakers, the past three-and-a-half months have been characterized by an intense training schedule.

"The work ethic on the team is our biggest strength -- the guys have trained much harder this preseason than in previous years," Penn coach Mike Schnur said.

"While it may be unrealistic to believe that our newcomers will replace last season's seniors, I think we're going to make up for it by everyone else improving. The guys really take a lot of pride in working hard."

In addition to the unmatched work ethic, the team has seen tremendous leadership from many of its key athletes, providing them with the confidence they need for Saturday's meet.

Senior Andrew Trout, who currently holds Penn's record in the 50 free with a time of 20.4 seconds, believes that the upcoming meet is an ideal way to start the season.

"We're a really focused team right now, and we're all really ready to swim fast," Trout said.

Trout claimed the title for the 50 free six times last season. He was also a double-event winner in the 50 and 100 free in dual meets against Yale/Dartmouth and Brown, with a best time of 45.7 in the 100.

Along with Harvard, Princeton is one of the two best collegiate teams in the EISL. The Tigers are an extremely deep and talented team, finishing 16th in the NCAA last year. Competition from the Big Red will also be particularly challenging, as the team has decided to shave and taper specifically for this event.

"We're looking to race against both teams, but the depth of Princeton may be unsurmountable," Trout said.

Cornell's decision to shave and taper in preparation for the Red and Blue was carried out prior to last season's meet as well. The competition between the Big Red and the Red and Blue remained fairly close until the final two events.

"We can't let down," Schnur said. "Last year, the guys swam beautifully, but we got crushed."

Nevertheless, Trout and the rest of the team remain positive.

"There's definitely a good vibe," he said.

"We hope to get off to a good start in the first event, the 400 medley," Hirschhorn said.

Additionally, Trout believes the sprinters have a chance to take on the Big Red in the 50 and 100 freestyle races.

Each of the team's four classes boasts talent, depth, and strength. Deemed one of the deepest fly groups on the East Coast, the butterfly group will be led by sophomore Pat Maloney. As a freshman, Maloney proved himself last season to be among the fastest swimmers in the EISL. Achieving a time of 1:48 in the 200 fly, his performance earned him a fourth-place finish at the league championships and qualified him for NCAA consideration.

Maloney's teammates have high expectations of him for the upcoming months.

"Pat is a great swimmer," Trout said. "He's a leader in workout everyday and one of the toughest trainers around."

The Quakers believe the diving squad will help out the team's overall performance as well.

The addition of a highly motivated freshman class has further boosted the Quakers' morale.

"It's gonna take them awhile, but the freshmen will continue to improve," Schnur said.

Trout noted that this weekend will mark "the first opportunity for the freshmen to contribute to the team."

The Quakers are prepared for the challenges that await them.

"Our guys are tired of getting beat up during practice," Trout and Hirschhorn said together. "We're now ready to run the show."

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