Nike Invitational | Lords have reigned in past

Although the men’s swimming team has lost to Kenyon in two consecutive Nike Invitationals, it is determined to avenge those losses this weekend.

“One of the goals we have been preaching all season is to beat Kenyon,” senior captain Kyle Loughran said.

Today, the Quakers (1-2) begin a three-day journey to achieve that goal. The five-team meet starts today and continues until Saturday at the Kenyon Athletic Center Natatorium in Gambier, Ohio.

The task to top Kenyon won’t be an easy one; the Lords have won thirty consecutive Division III National Championships.

The hosts won the Invitational last year, but one major change will slow them down in this year’s edition: different swimsuits.

NCAA regulations have banned the use of higher technology swimsuits this year. It is unclear which side will profit from this change, although everybody will definitely be slowed down.

“A time this year equal to a time last year means this year is a lot faster,” coach Mike Schnur said.

Senior Jack Wiese believes the squad can overcome the setback.

“The key is going to be to not let [the new swimsuits] get us down mentally,” he said.

This will be the Quakers’ first meet with morning preliminary heats and evening finals — similar circumstances to the end-of-the-year Ivy League Championships.

“Every guy that we’re taking out there is capable of swimming at night in almost every race they swim,” Schnur said.

The swimmers know that a strong performance at this meet means that they will likely get to swim at more important meets later in the season.

“It is a rehearsal for the Ivy Championships meet,” Schnur said.

This will also be Penn’s first time racing on rest this season, as the Quakers have swum lighter workouts this week in order to conserve energy for the meet.

“[We] always do our best by a lot when we’re fully rested,” Wiese said.

But only some of the Quakers will get to show off their post-rest performances: Penn has a travel limit of 26 swimmers. Kenyon, as the home team, does not have such a restriction.

And rest the Red and Blue will need: the Invitational does not feature the Ivy dual meet restrictions of three events per swimmer.

Swimming more events means that the athletes will tire more quickly. But the team has been focused on endurance this whole season.

“The idea is to try to beat teams when we’re beat up,” Schnur said.

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