The men and women’s swim and dive teams are striving to achieve high goals by utilizing the depth and talent of their incoming freshmen as they prepare for their first meets, head coach Anne Ryder said.

Ryder said the freshmen are coming in with a lot of talent and are going to be giving the team a lot of additional depth across the board.

Women’s senior captain Maddie Gray said it’s a priority for the team to get the freshmen bonded and united first.

The Alumni meet which will be held at 10 a.m. Oct. 3 in McPhee Physical Education Center will be a good chance for the freshman to do this as well as bond with the team and get their first college meet under their belt in a low pressure atmosphere Gray said.

While the women’s team ended on a high note overall last season, with more than one member breaking a conference record, they had a slightly disappointing finish at the conference meet where a couple relays were disqualified, senior captain Maddie Gray said.

“As a whole I think the women were really proud of individual swims last season at conference so this year we’re just working on getting the entire team to place a little higher.” Gray said.

Last season at conference the women’s team sent one swimmer and two divers to nationals.

Senior swimmer Nick Hora said they are working to meet their coaches goal of sending both the men and women’s team to conference within the next two years, so this year both teams are setting their goals high and striving to take the conference title.

To do this, Gray said both teams will have to push past their toughest competition, La Crosse and Whitewater.

“The La Crosse women’s team has won conference consistently over the past few years but with the women we have returning, this year we have a good chance at upsetting their powerhouse.” Gray said.

Last season the men’s team swam a tight conference race with both Lacrosse and Whitewater where the blugolds took fourth place out of six teams overall.

“In meets like that everyone comes to win so you absolutely have to win the close races” Hora said.

Hora said the men’s team is specifically looking to send more of their relay teams to nationals this year.

The women’s first meet will be held at 5 p.m. on Oct. 16 at home against Mankato at Mcphee and the men will take on their first competition in a triangular meet on Oct. 24 against Stevens Point and St. Cloud in Stevens Point.