For the first time this year, swimming is distinguished as a sport within the Sunshine State Conference.
The SSC is a NCAA Division II conference comprised of Barry University, Eckerd College, Florida Southern College, Florida Tech, Lynn University, Nova Southeastern University, Rollins College, Saint Leo University and the University of Tampa.
For the first time in the conference’s 35 year existence, swimming is a conference- sponsored sport. This is because not every team has had a swim team.
NCAA conference regulations state that half of the league’s member schools must have a sport before it can be sponsored by the conference, and this is the first year they have been able to meet the guidelines to make swimming a conference sport.
Rollins, Florida Southern, Saint Leo, and the University of Tampa have previously had teams, and this year, Nova Southeastern debuts their swim teams.
Florida Tech also announced their swim team debut in the 2011 academic year.
What is the significance of finally competing in a conference? It’s a change in focus, according to Coach Ed Brennan.
Before being part of a conference, the UT swim teams competed independently, striving towards qualifying for the NCAA championships.
Now, beginning within a conference this year, UT will have to perform well in conference competitions to qualify to send swimmers to the NCAA Championship, Brennan said.
UT has played these teams in previous years, and performed well against them, but the results really matter this year.
Thus far, the swim teams have excelled. The Spartans opened their season at home on Oct. 9 versus Florida Southern College.
Both men’s and women’s teams beat FSC,140-116 and 139-108, respectively.
David Humphrey and Jeff Fiore won two events apiece for the men and Heather Glenday, Ellie Eshleman and Lisa Bero won two races for the women’s team.
Glenday’s performance versus Florida Southern secured her selection as one of the swimmers of the week for the Sunshine State Conference. The Spartans had another home meet on Oct. 16, this time versus Trinity of Texas.
The Spartans continued their domination; the men won 139-113 and the women 141-100.
“Our team really pulled together and did well,” sophomore swimmer Hilary Stetekluh said.
Coach Brennan was pleased as well by his teams’ performances in the first two meets of the year.
“We’ve established ourselves as the team to beat in the conference,” he said.
Junior Andrew Johnson talked about the importance of remaining competitive and not becoming complacent.
“We’re happy with our performance [but] we can always do better,” Johnson said.
The Spartans’ next meet will be Saturday Oct. 23 at 11 a.m. versus Nova Southeastern. This is another important meet for the UT swim teams.
“If we can get by them, we should go 5-0 in conference dual competition,” Brennan said.
The University of Tampa has a considerably smaller athletic scholarship budget than most Sunshine State Conference schools.
“A lot of new schools just got new funding and are able to buy athletes,” Johnson said.
UT doesn’t have the resources to do the same. No matter, though, according to Johnson.
“We’ve had a tradition of laying the smack-down on anybody in our conference. If we win this time, it’s a reflection of our team and our coaches that we don’t need scholarship athletes.”
April Weiner can be reached at april.weiner@spartans.ut.edu.