I set out to write this column about nutrition. As you’ll soon read, that’s not what happened. The idea came to me last Monday after morning practice when coach Mike Schnur gathered the men’s and women’s swim teams for a meeting.

The men and women of Penn swimming and diving enter 2016’s spate of races with a strong sense of accomplishment.

One thing’s for sure. Mark Andrew is no stranger to making a splash. After breaking out as freshman and smashing the Ivy League record in the 400 IM, his prowess in the pool has caught a lot of attention, and with the graduation of Penn swimming legend and NCAA champion Chris Swanson, the spotlight on Andrew will only brighten.

When asked to describe last year’s edition of Penn swimming and diving in two words, current senior Grant Proctor was at a loss. Across the pool deck, a teammate had a quick answer: “The best.”

Traditions are funny. Teams often start their seasons against the same opponent every year, and sometimes without good reason. But Penn swimming is breaking the mould with their first meet this year — and breaking out of their comfort zone in the process. For virtually as long as time itself, the Quakers have started their season with a dual meet against Columbia.

As the country prepares for the Rio Olympics later this summer, an unprecedented delegation from Penn fought for places on the United States’ swimming roster. 14 Quakers flew to Omaha, Neb.

As the country prepares for the Rio Olympics later this summer, an unprecedented delegation from Penn is in currently trying to fight for places on the United States’ swimming roster.

Every senior hopes for a storybook ending when they get ready to compete for the last time, and that’s just what Penn men's swimming senior Chris Swanson got at this weekend's NCAA National Swimming and Diving Championship.

It’s championship season, and while most eyes are on the basketball this week, Penn has a chance to make the podium nationally in the pool.

There’s no other way of putting it — it’s the end of an era. Penn men's swimming legend Chris Swanson has one meet left to bear the colors Red and Blue.

Like a late-night trip to Wawa, it was a satisfying, though not perfect, finish. It was one last hurrah for the Red and Blue in Maryland this weekend as most of the swim team went to the Eastern College Athletic Conference championships hosted at the U.S.

The phrase, all time best, gets tossed around a lot in sports. However no other phrase better captures Penn’s Mens Swimming and Diving team performance at this year’s Ivy League Championship meet. Penn claimed a school-record six individual Ivy League titles en route to an program record of 1,213.5 points at the championships.

When Eric Schultz was a senior at La Salle College High School and considering Penn as the place he would spend the next four years swimming, he never dreamed of becoming an Ivy League champion.

For members of Penn men’s swimming, this weekend’s Ivy Championships will take on a variety of meanings.

A coach, a lawyer and a swimmer walk into a bar. Sounds like the beginning of bad joke.

What is it like to dedicate your entire life to one institution? Perhaps no question is more pertinent to Penn swimming coach, Mike Schnur.

While Senior Day may have only been Saturday , that didn’t stop Penn Swimming and Diving from sending out their graduating class with a full weekend of success.