Photo: St. Bonaventure Athletics
BY NATHAN DONNELLY, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
After the St. Bonaventure men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams finished sixth and ninth, respectively, at last year’s Atlantic 10 Conference playoffs, the team returns to the pool Saturday.
The Bonnies added 11 freshmen head coach Mike Smiechowski called capable of making noise in the A-10. On this season’s schedule are familiar foes Niagara and Canisius, along with invitationals at George Mason and University of Buffalo.
Their first challenge will be the Nittany Lions of Penn State, a program in which the men finished eighth, and the women finished 10th in the Big 10 Conference last season. Penn State will be a more experienced team for the match, as they contain one more upperclassman than Bonaventure, including seven more seniors.
“Much of the success of the team will be dependent on the freshman,” said Smiechowski. “We will see it as early as against Penn State.”
At the moment, there is belief that the team is in a great position.
“This year has been one of our best in terms of recruiting classes,” said Smiechowski. “We’re in an immediate position to be successful long term.”
There are some other positives that come out of situations such as these. For the upperclassmen that are competing, it can often bring the best out of them. The makeup of the team will create a “championship environment,” said Smiechowski. “The upperclassmen will be challenged for their spots, and the best will rise to the occasion.”
While being challenged, each team put in extra time and effort.
“We put a lot of time and effort in the pool and weight room day in and day out,” said senior swimmer Amy O’Rourke. “It is going to be very exciting watching all the swimmers and divers translate that from practice into the competition pool by giving our maximum effort.”
The team strives for a good season with one goal in mind.
“I think this season will be a good one for us,” said O’Rourke. “The main goal for the team is to be as competitive as possible.”
Coaches and players cited accountability as a driving factor for the team.
“We want to maintain the sense of unity and good sportsmanship and make sure that we motivate and encourage each other each and every day,” said O’Rourke.
With an underclassman-heavy team, the youth plays an essential role in the success of the team. With any team, there are wishes for collective success, but individual successes as well.
“My goals will always be centered around doing the basics right, swimming fast and believing that I am capable of making an A-10 final,” said O’Rourke. “I also want to make my team, coaches and family proud.”
The men’s and women’s swim and dive teams begin their seasons at noon Saturday against Penn State in University Park, Pennsylvania.
donnelnp23@bonaventure.edu
