W. Swimming seeks No. 10

The Penn women's swim team is poised to make history tomorrow, as it seeks a team record-breaking tenth win against La Salle at Kirk Pool to cap off its stellar regular season. "We've never had a 10-win season, and it's very rewarding to see our hard work pay off," Penn women's swimming coach Mike Schnur said. Judging by the Explorers' 1-7 record this season in dual-meet action, the Quakers have nothing to worry about. As on Wednesday against Rider, Schnur plans to shuffle the lineup in hopes of giving swimmers a final chance to qualify for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference championships, which will be held at the end of February. The real story this weekend will be the seniors. For the team's four graduating members, the meet will mark a bittersweet end to the team's winningest season. "I am in shock and in awe at the transformation this team has undergone since my first year," co-captain Jessica Anders said. "This is the best season I could have hoped for as a senior." This weekend will mark the final dual meet of their Penn careers and the culmination of a spectacular turnaround that has been four years in the making. "It's hard because of all that we've brought our team to," Margaret Jones said. "When you're at the top of the league, it's hard to leave." The seniors are the first class to have been coached by Schnur from start to finish, and their collective success serves as evidence of Schnur's significant coaching impact. "Mike [Schnur] has had a consistent philosophy of building a dedicated, enthusiastic team," Jones said. The board of Penn swimming records that overlooks Sheerr Pool bears only one mark set before Schnur's time. "We have our eye on that 100 fly," Schnur said. The remaining 18 performances testify to the substantial evolution of the swimming program under Schnur's direction. Four seasons ago, the Penn swim team sat at the bottom of the Ivies with a record of 0-7. Schnur's promotion to the head coaching position coincided with the end of Penn's six-season Ivy losing streak. "At first, we focused on building up their confidence to believe we could beat the Harvards, Columbias and Yales," Schnur said. "Now, we can and do beat them." Since then, the Quakers have steadily crept up the standings, coming away this year with their first winning Ivy season in 13 years. "The legacy these senior girls leave is not about the wins," Schnur said. "They leave a legacy of a tireless work ethic, a desire to consistently give your best."

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