Every year, you can expect three things from the men's swimming and diving team: energy, depth and a top−three finish in the NESCAC. This year is no exception, and although the Jumbos lost eight members of their squad to graduation, including four All−Americans, they believe they have enough strength throughout their lineup to succeed.
Tufts finished third behind Williams and Amherst at February's NESCAC Championships, marking the first time since 2007 that the team had not placed second. However, the result was more a reflection of the improvement of the conference than of a Tufts decline. At March's Div. III NCAA Championships, where Tufts finished 20th, Amherst, Williams and Middlebury all placed in the top 10 and Conn. College cracked the top 25, suggesting that the NESCAC may be the strongest Div. III swimming conference in the nation.
"It's always tough in the NESCAC, and we know it," Adam Hoyt, who is starting his eighth season as Tufts' head coach, said. "It's kind of part of the fun having a challenge like that every year, competing in a conference that has some of the best teams in the country. I think our team knows that they have the ability to compete well with the others in the NESCAC."
The Jumbos worked hard in the offseason to ensure they will be up to the task, holding fall captains' practices and completing a summer weightlifting program.
"I think a larger majority of the team than in the past stayed in the pool, stayed in the weight room and kept themselves active," senior co−captain Owen Rood said. "That definitely showed up in the preseason at lifting and captains' practices, and I think it's showing up now."
The team will be without four of last year's All−Americans — Michael Del Moro, Gordy Jenkins, Zed Debbaut and David Meyers (all LA '11) — but will return three others in seniors E.J. Testa and co−captain Owen Rood and sophomore diver Johann Schmidt, who won both the 1−meter and 3−meterNESCAC diving titles as a freshman. The Jumbos also have two new divers to help fill the gap left by Trevor Stack (E '11).
"Last year, we lost a very, very strong senior class," senior co−captain Joe McLoughlin said. "But this year, especially with the new freshmen, I think we're going to stay very competitive within the conference and nationally within Division III."
In addition, losing so many key pieces may help motivate swimmers looking to prove themselves.
"I think the one thing that people forget about when you lose such a solid class like last year's is that that leaves a lot of people hungry to fill their spots," Rood said. "Some guys have been waiting for a couple years, and some are freshmen who are trying to step up for the first time."
After just over two weeks of official team practices, it is clear that those freshmen will have an immediate impact.
"The freshman class is a strong class of swimmers with great personality and work ethic," Hoyt said. "I've been very impressed with the level of commitment that they've shown to their team and their teammates."
The squad will consist of 13 freshmen, 12 sophomores, four juniors — several juniors will miss the season due to study abroad and other commitments, Rood said — and 12 seniors. For the Jumbos to thrive, they will need everyone to contribute, not just a few stars.
"It's exciting for me knowing that we need every single person on our team to do their absolute best day in and day out to ensure that we have another successful season," Hoyt said.
The squad's personality is conducive to this approach.
"This is not a team of huge egos," McLoughlin said. "It's a team that encourages cooperation between ourselves and dependence on each other. Everyone on the team has a place and has a way to pull us up."
The idea of needing a full team effort to succeed is consistent with the Jumbos' philosophy that they must support one another in practices and at meets — and that they must always make more noise than their competitors. Over the years, the Jumbos have gained a reputation for their loudness and intensity.
"Every swim meet we go to, we're the loudest team, we're the team cheering each other on the most," McLoughlin said. "That really carries the team to reach places that we never would have been able to otherwise. I wholeheartedly believe that we do that better than any other team — probably in all of Division III."
The team got a head start on its noise−making this fall, attending many Tufts athletics events while spearheading an effort to get more students to cheer on Tufts athletes. That spirit and energy is a crucial part of the men's swimming and diving program.
"It's our belief in the swimming program that if they're coming in with the right attitude, and if we have the right environment, then we have the best chance to reach our fullest potential," Hoyt said. "There's a sense you get as a coach when the team is connected, on the same page, and pushing itself to be better than its ever been. That's our constant goal."
The Jumbos begin their season this weekend with a tri−meet at Middlebury with Conn. College on Saturday, followed by a dual meet Sunday against Keene State at 1 p.m. at Hamilton Pool.
