Well-rested UNL swim team preps for Big 12

The road hasn't been kind to the Cornhusker swimming and diving team, but a long trip to the conference meet might provide a boost at a key time.

A well-rested Nebraska squad heads into the Big 12 Conference championship with high hopes, but the main goal is to erase memories of last season's sixth-place finish.

"We definitely want to do better than last year," said senior Kaitlin Arntz. "Everyone wants to get all their best times and really wants to perform well in the relays."

Despite last season's disappointing showing at the conference meet, the Huskers obliterated many of their own records in Columbia, Mo. NU's swimmers and divers combined to break 82 personal bests, and 26 Huskers earned top-10 marks.

Freshman Kelsey Larson said while personal bests are a goal, how the team finishes is top priority.

"We want to do the best we can and all drop times," she said. "We want everyone to get at least one top eight (finish) and two top 16s."

The Huskers' hopes to best both personal marks and place in the "A" finals should be boosted by a long layoff heading into the event. NU's last meet was a dual loss at Missouri on Feb. 6.

And while the score – a 203-93 loss to the No. 21 Tigers – appears like a dramatic defeat, the swimmers don't see it as a setback because of the odd time at which it fell in their training schedule.

"We had just begun to start tapering," Larson said. "We work hard throughout the season and then taper to rest for conferences. It was kind of at an awkward spot for us."

The strange timing was a major factor in the Huskers' two conference losses, both of which were on the road.

"The Missouri meet was at an odd point where we were starting to rest for conferences," Arntz said. "When you rest, your body's kind of off. We didn't see it as a stumbling block. The Kansas meet was after Christmas training, so we were beat up. I think circumstance was a big part of those meets."

More than two weeks removed from their last competitive meet, the Huskers will be well-rested.

And in addition to the break, Larson said, NU's swimmers and divers will have the advantage of having more time than usual to get acclimated to the pool in College Station, Texas, because of their travel situation.

"This time, we'll be fully rested and be ready to go after a 12-hour travel day," she said. "We'll be able to get adjusted. For dual meets, we go there the day of so we couldn't get used to the pool."

For Larson and many of the freshmen, the break and acclimation time to the water will be perfect to help calm nerves and potentially boost the Huskers' score.

"I'm just a little nervous because it's my first conference, and you can only have four," Larson said. "I don't want to mess up, but I think we've prepared well."

johnschreier@dailynebraskan.com