As students frantically scour through their closets to replace T-shirts with sweatshirts, the Nebraska swimming and diving team has been making waves at the Woods Memorial Pool outdoor facility.
From the first week of classes until mid-September, the Cornhuskers put their comfort on the line for chilly and exhausting preseason workouts.
Even with temperatures dipping as low as 50 degrees, NU swimmers devote three hours an afternoon, four days a week to a combination of lifting and outdoor swimming workouts.
Outdoor workouts in an unheated pool, to be more specific.
Woods Pool, a standard, Olympic-sized outdoor training facility, has been extending its season for the Huskers since before NU Swimming and Diving Coach Pablo Morales came to Nebraska.
Compared to the 25-yard pool in the Bob Devaney Sports Center, the 50-meter long-course pool at Woods not only provides practice in a competition-sized pool, but it also provides the luxury of continuous swimming without the frequent turns required in shorter pools.
"I personally think they love training outdoors," Morales said. "It helps break things up a bit and makes the season not seem as long since they swim a good portion of the year indoors."
Along with training outside during chilly autumn afternoons, the Huskers tack on three-mile runs and indoor swimming workouts - all before the clock strikes 8 a.m.
In addition to these workouts, the team does circuit training with an emphasis on core strengthening two to three times a week. Finally, to throw a bit of flexibility and stretching into their regime, they practice yoga every Wednesday morning.
"Our coaches know what they're doing," NU senior Bailey Ingles said. "They know what's best for us, and we all trust them."
Considering the diverse training backgrounds of the swimmers as far as yardage and intensity of workouts are concerned, Ingles claims the rigorous workouts allow everyone to get on the same page before competition.
Cross training has been a prevalent conditioning tactic among athletes nationwide. While it improves flexibility, strength and balance, it also prevents injuries that could result from an overload of activity on certain muscles.
As NU's swimmers buckle down for the approaching string of competitions, the team's main focus during practice is strictly on technique development, rather than yardage and intensity.
The Huskers will put their preparation to the test at 4 p.m. Friday during the Scarlet vs. Cream Intrasquad Meet at the Devaney Natatorium.
"We have really high hopes this season," Ingles said. "As a senior, I really think this could be our best year."
is a member of the 
