The Geneseo Blue Wave continued their dominating season, against Alfred University on Saturday. Both squads beat their opponents by more than 40 points, as the men won 166-125, and the women defeated the visiting Saxons by a score of 159-110.
In a strong team effort, juniors Michelle Rodriguez, Jennifer Anthone, and Kelly Young, all won a pair of events as well as their freshman teammate Kaitlin Wilcoxen. For the men, sophomores Ken Pink, Nate Foley, and Andrew Kuter won their events to go along with senior Sean Kennedy's victory in the 200 fly.
According to head coach Paul Dotterweich; this was exactly what he expected from his teams. It wasn't a win that he'd look back and reflect on, he said, but it's important to focus on the end goal: a 12th consecutive SUNYAC championship.
Dotterweich has already begun the process of gearing up his team for the championship. He said that he has tweaked the training regiment for the athletes to rest their bodies and be at their absolute peak for the championship meet.
The Blue Wave can carry 17 swimmers on each squad for the SUNYAC meet. They have 26 male swimmers and 20 female swimmers on the team and Dotterweich said that the remaining schedule would be key in determining who makes the cut.
"Our men's team is, by far, much deeper than any other team we've seen" said Dotterweich. He added that the nine guys he will end up holding back from the championship team "would make any other squad in the conference."
On the women's team, the Blue Wave boasts five returning All-Americans. While only three swimmers will not go to the conference meet, the competition between them is high, especially to determine who will receive the relay positions, said Dotterweich.
The expectations could not be higher for the team, after 11 straight SUNYAC championships. According to Dotterweich the team's mentality is, "At this point, they don't wonder if they will win their 12th, It's more of a 'if we don't… Why didn't we?'"
"We look to set the bar high, and don't accept less", he said.
The Blue Wave seems thrive under this competitive nature. The constant battle for positions and spots in the top 17 make it certain that they will never let up in their training. Dotterweich noted that the competition between teammates never seems to be negative, another key to maintaining a healthy, yet fierce, team atmosphere.
The Blue Wave will look to continue their winning ways when they host SUNY Oswego on Saturday, January 30th at 1 p.m.