The Northern Michigan University swimming and diving team will be looking to make a splash in their next event. The ’Cats will be competing in an intrasquad match for senior night.
The Wildcats are ranked third in the GLIAC, heading into the second half of the season. The ’Cats are 42.2 points behind second-place Indianapolis.
Over break, the team spent some time training in Minnesota. Junior Megan Crowder said the women had a week of practice in Marquette before heading off to Minnesota to train. Crowder earned her first varsity letter last season.
“We had a great training trip,” Crowder said. “Now we’re back preparing for the GLIACs coming up in February.”
Fellow teammate and junior Dakota Sechena said the team training trip was one of her favorite memories this season.
“It was a lot of fun,” Sechena said. “It was hard work but we all had a good time.”
The Wildcats will have just a few more events between now and the GLIACs. The intrasquad match is used to help teammates encourage each other while also creating competition.
Senior Meghan Capela said the event means a lot to her because it is her last home meet. Capela is the only senior on the team and will be the only athlete honored at the event.
“Since I’m the only senior it is all about me,” Capela said. “It makes me kind of nervous.”
Capela said she doesn’t like that everyone will be focused on her. The event will be Capela’s last in the Wildcat pool.
With the conference championship so close, the ’Cats will have a short amount of time to prepare before they have a chance at a conference title. Sechena said she is looking forward to it.
“It is coming up in a little over a month,” Sechena said. “We’ve been training really hard so it will be good to compete at a meet like that.”
Last season the ’Cats finished third at the GLIAC championship. The Wildcats had a few athletes place and move on to the NCAA Championships including Sechena’s sister, junior Madisen Sechena.
In order to have success at the GLIACs and have swimmers from the Wildcats move on to the NCAA championship and capture a GLIAC title, Crowder says it’s not always the big things the team should be focusing on.
“We are always focusing on improving our skills and working on technique,” Crowder said. “Focusing on the small things to improve the bigger picture is our main focus going into this part of the season.”
Crowder also said what makes the Wildcats a good team is the team communication and strong work ethic.
For swimmer Capela, it is her last chance to go out with a bang and an opportunity for the younger athletes to learn from the team’s only senior in her final meets.
“I am really focused on my goals because I only have a couple more chances to get the times I want,” Capela said. “I am going to miss swimming and having people to motivate me to work out.”
The ’Cats will travel to Green Bay, Wis. before heading to Wayne State for a diving invitational. On Wednesday, Feb. 12 the Wildcats will be traveling to Geneva, Ohio to compete in the GLIAC Championship. The event will start on Wednesday and end on Saturday, Feb. 15.
