Swimming Championship Preview

The 18th annual Centennial Conference men's and women's swimming championships move to a new venue in 2011, but the top teams remain the same.

Bullets' Pool at Gettysburg College takes over as the host venue after the championship spent the last 15 years at Franklin & Marshall. Time will tell how "fast" the pool is, but the competition should be outstanding this weekend.

Get all the information on the championship at this link. Follow us on Twitter to get the medalists at the conclusion of each final!

Women's Championship
Defending champion Franklin & Marshall won the dual-meet title and is the favorite entering the weekend. Gettysburg will challenge the Diplomats for the traveling trophy, as the Bullets lost by just nine points to F&M in the regular-season finale. Last year's championship meet was the third-closest in Conference history, as only 44 points separated F&M and Gettysburg.

Individually, Washington College's Rachel Glasser looks to join an elite club this weekend, as she shoots for her third Outstanding Performer award. Only Franklin & Marshall's Carmen Trombini - who won four consecutive MOP awards from 1995-98 - has won more than Glasser. She is the favorite and Conference record holder in the 500 free, 100 and 200 fly.

Also back to defend their 2010 championships are F&M's Emily Zacherl (400 IM), Gettysburg's Brooke Lacey (200 breast), McDaniel's Rachel Walega (100 breast), and Ursinus' Danielle Yentz (200 back).

Men's Championship
Franklin & Marshall has won four consecutive titles and six in a row, but the Diplomats' reign will be challenged by Gettysburg and Dickinson. The Bullets won the dual-meet title, while the Red Devils finished second. Something must give this weekend - F&M and Gettysburg have each won eight of the 16 championships that determined a team champion.

A new face to watch is Dickinson freshman Jason Adams, who is the top-seeded swimmer in the 50 free, 100 fly and 100 back.

Back to defend their 2010 titles are F&M's Jake Reingold (500 and 1650 free), Travis Catania (400 IM) and Tom Bergstrom (200 free), along with Gettysburg's Matt Libby (100 free).

Meet Program and Preview

Five-Star Matchups

There's a new way to watch Centennial Conference sports - the "C Zone" Channel. We have created a web page that has all the video screens from our member schools. It's not quite NFL "Red Zone" style, but does provide you with a window into all the day's action on one screen. Hope you enjoy!

Haverford at McDaniel
Muhlenberg at Franklin & Marshall (Men's Basketball)
The Diplomats (11-2 CC, 15-5) hold a three-game lead in the chase for the top seed and home court for the Conference tournament, while the other three are trying to land one of the remaining four spots. The Mules (8-5, 12-8) ended a seven-game losing streak against F&M with a 71-67 victory in Allentown. But 'Berg has not won at Mayser since the 2001 Centennial semifinals. The Green Terror (8-5, 11-9) downed the Fords (7-6, 10-9) in the year's first meeting and look for the second season sweep in four seasons. Haverford has dropped three straight games at the Gill Center.

STANDINGS

F&M .......... 11-2
Muhlenberg ...  8-5
Gettysburg ...  8-5
McDaniel .....  8-5
Dickinson ....  8-5
Haverford ....  7-6

Ursinus at Gettysburg
Muhlenberg at Franklin & Marshall (Women's Basketball)
Four of the team chasing front-running Johns Hopkins in the women's basketball standings square off on Saturday. The Bullets (10-5 CC, 15-5), fresh from an overtime win at Hopkins, entertain the Bears (9-6, 13-7), while the Diplomats (9-6, 11-9) welcome the Mules (10-4, 14-5) to Mayser Center. Ursinus looks for its first two-game season sweep of Gettysburg since 1995. A Bear win would give UC 14 for the season - just the second time since 1997 that Ursinus has won 14 or more games. Gettysburg has won five straight from the Bears at Bream Gym. Muhlenberg has won five in a row from F&M and eight of the last nine.

STANDINGS

Hopkins ...... 13-3
Muhlenberg ... 10-4
Gettysburg ... 10-5
Ursinus ......  9-6
F&M ..........  9-6
Swarthmore ...  8-7
Washington ...  7-7

Dickinson at Swarthmore (Men's Swimming)
The Red Devils (4-1, 8-2) and the Garnet (3-1, 4-1) square off in a meet that could determine first place in the Conference. Dickinson would share the dual-meet title with Gettysburg, should the Bullets drop their season finale at Franklin & Marshall. Swarthmore would also need a win vs. Washington next Wednesday to share the crown.

Gettysburg at Franklin & Marshall (Women's Swimming)
The best swimming rivalry in the Conference is renewed Saturday at the Kunkel Aquatic Center as the Bullets (6-0, 7-2) and Diplomats (6-0, 7-4) meet for the dual-meet title. Gettysburg's Maggie Mulderrig will need a big meet in the freestyle sprints to offset F&M's Olivia Hill in the freestyle distances.

Five-Star Matchups

As a snowy January draws to a close, the games start to heat up in the Conference as basketball teams begin to jockey for playoff position, and swimmers and wrestlers prepare for championship time.

Johns Hopkins at Muhlenberg (Women's Basketball)
The first and second-place teams in the Conference meet in a rematch of their overtime clash on Jan. 17. The Blue Jays (12-2 CC, 15-3) held off the Mules (9-3, 13-4), 86-75, as Chantal Mattiola poured in a career-high 24 points. 'Berg's Alexandra Chili scored 27 of her game-high 32 points in the second half. Hopkins has not won at Memorial Hall since 2005 (0-7) - the last time that JHU swept the season series.

Dickinson at Ursinus (Women's Basketball)
Franklin & Marshall at Haverford (Women's Basketball)
These two games are critical for the playoff chances of all four teams. The Bears (8-5, 11-6) and the Diplomats (8-5, 10-8) can go a long way to securing a spot in the five-team field with wins. The Red Devils (5-8, 7-10) and the Fords (5-8, 8-10) can ill afford another CC loss and, with victories, can get right back in the playoff chase. Ursinus defeated Dickinson, 44-33, on Dec. 11 behind a 13-point, 12-rebound effort from Lindsay Teuber. The Bears look for their first season sweep of the Devils and their first home win against the Red since 2002. The Fords are also looking for their first-ever sweep of the Diplomats, following a 53-39 win on Dec. 11 as Nina Voith had a double-double with 21-13.

McDaniel at Washington College (Men's Basketball)
The Green Terror (6-4, 9-8) looks to set some program marks when it visits the "House of Cain" and the Shoremen (5-6, 6-12). McDaniel has already defeated Washington twice this season and a third victory would be a program first. Also, the Terror has lost 17 straight times in Chestertown since an 84-80 win back in 1982. The Shoremen need to hold (home)court in their quest to return to the Centennial playoffs.

Swarthmore at Gettysburg (Men's Swimming)
The two remaining CC unbeatens meet at Bullets Pool with first-place in the dual-meet standings on the line. The Garnet (3-0, 5-0) is led by sophomore Daniel Duncan, while the Bullets' (3-0, 5-1) Matt Libby may be the best sprinter in the Conference with the Centennial's top times in the 100 and 200 free and second-best time in the 50.

Ursinus, Stevens at Merchant Marine (Wrestling)
The three undefeated teams in the Conference dual-meet standings square off at Kings Point on Sunday. Merchant Marine (2-0, 8-2), the three-time defending Centennial champ, is ranked 11th nationally and has three wrestlers among the top 10 in their respective weight classes - 165 Vincent Renaut (4th), 174 Justin Diesel (7th) and 285 Judd Connell (3rd) - while Stevens 141 Ryan Bridge is ranked 6th. Matches to watch include 157 between USMMA's Dan Twito (7-2) and Stevens' Leo Dormann (19-8); 174 between Diesel (17-1) and the Ducks' Ryan Dormann (25-2) and 184 between Ursinus' Nate Murran (19-6) and the Mariners' Erik Schott (18-3).

McElligott Invitational (Track and Field)
One of the premier meets of the indoor season takes place Saturday at Haverford - the site of the 2011 CC Championship. Athletes to watch include Haverford's Tim Schoch, Eric Arnold (mile) and Christina Neilson (400); Swarthmore's Chelsea Hicks (55, triple jump); and Ursinus' Jordan Grannum (55, 200) and Amanda Laurito (55).

Writing Comes Naturally to Washington Swim Star

Many students come to Washington College hoping the writing program will help them achieve their dreams of becoming published authors. For Jenna Moore '12, that dream became a reality during her first year of college, when Dorrance Publishing Co. printed The Creators: Book 1, The Universal Wars. It's the first book in a series she began writing in 7th grade.

"I've been writing since I was really little. I actually wrote the second and third books first, and then went back and wrote the first to fill in some of the basics you need to know about the characters going forward."

She started the series while daydreaming during class; her 7th grade English teacher encouraged her to keep writing and offered feedback on Jenna's work. When the drafts were finished, Jenna's parents urged her to get them published.

"I'm kind of shy about promoting my work like that," she said, but her dad found a list of publishers to approach and the first, Dorrance, wanted Jenna's story.

"It was really surprising, actually. I was so overwhelmed that they said yes!" Jenna said. "I'm hoping this one will do well so they want the others."

Her fantasy series isn't the only thing the creative writing student has in print. As a finalist in a 2006 International Poetry Society contest, two of Jenna's poems were published in an anthology, "Forever Spoken: Centers of Expression."

Jenna chose to attend Washington College because of the opportunities to develop both her fiction and poetry.

"My parents and I were always thinking academics first, and there's really no better place to go for writing," she said. "The teachers are really helpful. I think my poetry's better already."

Another important factor in her decision was Washington College's Division III athletic program. Jenna wanted to attend a school with a strong swimming program that would still allow her to pursue her other interests. "If I really wanted to write," she reasoned, "I needed the flexibility of a D-III school." Editor's Note: Jenna won four gold medals and two silver at the recent Centennial Conference Swimming Championships.

Given that flexibility, Jenna also joined the varsity rowing team. If that sounds like a lot to juggle, it is. In college, "It's tougher to find time for writing, especially with two sports," Jenna admitted, but that hasn't deterred her from working on the next books in her series.

"Writing is a good release for me, to get away and relax and not think about studying or races or anything else," she said. And if she doesn't get to write as often as she'd like, it's because she's taking advantage of so many other opportunities at the college.

"I can't imagine fitting anywhere else."

2010 Swimming Championship

The 17th annual Centennial Conference men's and women's swimming championship gets underway Friday morning at Franklin & Marshall College's Kunkel Aquatic Center. The Diplomat men and women captured the dual-meet championships and could be considered the favorites to capture the team titles. But the Gettysburg women and Swarthmore men will have something to say about that. The Bullet women are three-time defending champs, while the Garnet men gave F&M all it could handle in their dual meet in November.

Who 2 Watch on Day 1?

500 Freestyle: Washington's Rachel Glasser (5:00.21) is the odds-on favorite and will threaten both the championship meet (4:59.30) and Conference (4:58.91) records. The men's race has as many as five racers that could capture gold.

200 IM: This is setting up as a battle between F&M's Katherine DeCrosta (2:15.43) and Gettysburg's Caroline Coolidge (2:15.47) on the women's side. F&M's Tom Grabiak (1:56.11) and Matt Jaffee (1:57.78) will duel for gold and silver.

50 Freestyle: A pair of Washington swimmers have the best seed times entering the meet - Kathy Gerhart (24.65) and Jenna Moore (24.96). Also watch Dickinson's Jessica Hassinger (25.04) and Gettysburg's Maggie Mulderrig (25.18). The men's top seeds are Dickinson's Doug Murray (21.85) and F&M's David Apple (21.93).

You can watch the championship LIVE on your computer. The trials can be seen on a pay-per-view basis ($6) while the finals are provided free courtesy of the Centennial Conference and Franklin & Marshall.

You can get real-time results by clicking here. You can also get the medal winners of each event by following us on Twitter.

Five-Star Matchups

Here are the five-star matchups in the Conference this weekend, should the games go on as scheduled.

Muhlenberg at Franklin & Marshall (Men's Basketball)
It's a showdown for first place in the Conference as the Mules (10-3 CC, 12-8) visit the Mayser Center to take on the Diplomats (11-2, 17-3). F&M has won eight straight from 'Berg in Lancaster and holds a 68-59 all-time lead. The Mules' last win in Lancaster came in the 2001 CC semifinals (76-58) while the last regular-season triumph in Amish country was in 1999. Two of the Conference's top big men will do battle in Muhlenberg's Spencer Liddic (14.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg) and F&M's James McNally (17.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg).

Ursinus at Gettysburg (Men's Basketball)
A first-round playoff bye could be at stake when the Bears (9-4, 13-7) travel to the Battlefield to take on the Bullets (8-5, 10-9). After dropping 11 straight to UC, Gettysburg has taken the last two meetings, including a 74-63 win in Collegeville on Jan. 12. The Bullets look for their first two-game season sweep of the Bears since the formation of the Centennial in 1994. Two of the CC's best players take center stage in Ursinus' Remy Cousart (15.5 ppg, 8.7 rpg) and Gettysburg's Andrew Powers (19.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg).

Franklin & Marshall at Gettysburg (Women's Swimming)
The dual-meet championship is on the line as this long-time rivalry is renewed for the 44th time - but the first time in Gettysburg's new natatorium. The Bullets (6-0, 8-1) have won 20 straight Centennial meets and three straight overall Conference titles. The Diplomats (6-0, 6-2) will be looking for their first outright dual title since 2006 and first overall crown since 2005.

Ursinus vs. McDaniel (Wrestling)
This match will determine who remains in the race for the dual-meet title and who is eliminated from the 2009 chase. The Bears (4-1, 9-1) and the Green Terror (4-1, 7-6) both suffered their only CC losses to Merchant Marine. Ursinus fell 26-17 while McDaniel lost 31-10. UC's Connor McNamara has a 26-3 mark at 197, while McDaniel's Brock Glotfelty is 33-4 at 285.

Five-Star Matchups

Dickinson at Franklin & Marshall (Men's Swimming)
The Red Devils (3-0, 4-2) visit Lancaster to take on the Diplomats (4-0, 4-2) in a battle between Centennial unbeatens. It is the 92nd time that the two schools have met in the pool with F&M holding a five-meet win streak and a 60-31 overall lead. The day's best race could come in the 50 free between Dickinson's Doug Murray (21.85) and the Diplomats' David Apple (21.93).

Washington at Gettysburg (Men's Basketball)
The Shoremen (6-5 CC, 8-7) travel to the Battlefield to take on the Bullets (7-4, 9-8) in a game that could affect playoff positions down the stretch. Gettysburg won the year's first meeting by an 82-54 count in Chestertown on Jan. 9. and looks for its 11th win in its last 12 meetings with Washington. An Orange and Blue win would give the Bullets a two-game lead (with the tie-breaker) over the Shoremen with six games remaining. Washington has won just once at Bream Gym in the last 12 years - last season by a 64-62 count.

Merchant Marine vs. Ursinus (Wrestling)
The 12th ranked Mariners (2-0, 8-6) and the Bears (2-0, 7-0) meet at Muhlenberg in a match that could decide the Conference's dual-meet champion. Merchant Marine has three wrestlers in this week's NWCA top 10 - Vincent Renaut (165, 9th), Justin Diesel (174, 5th) and Eric Vincent (197, 9th). The match of the day could be between Vincent (20-2) and Connor McNamara (23-3).

Five-Star Matchups

The second semester is underway at the Centennial Conference and the contests begin taking on greater importance.

Ursinus at Franklin & Marshall (Women's Swimming)
The Diplomats (3-0 CC, 3-2) welcome the surprising Bears (3-1, 8-1) to the McGuiness Pool for an interesting dual meet. F&M has won 11 straight meets from Ursinus and holds a 21-13 all-time lead. The meet will be a good indication of how far the UC program has come and to whether the Diplomats can contend for the Centennial title in late February.

Gettysburg, Muhlenberg, Ursinus at Johns Hopkins
Merchant Marine, Stevens, Washington & Lee at McDaniel (Wrestling)
It's the first big weekend for Conference quad matches and the dual meets will give us a better indication of where the strength lies in the Centennial in 2010. Ursinus (5-0) brings an undefeated overall dual record to Baltimore, while Merchant Marine is ranked 13th nationally. Four wrestlers are ranked nationally, according to the Jan. 11 NWCA rankings - USMMA's Vincent Renault (10th, 165), Justin Diesel (8th, 174) and Eric Vincent (10th, 197), and McDaniel's Brock Glotfelty (10th, 285). D3wrestle.com adds USMMA's Dan Twito (10th, 157) and Stevens' Joe Favia (10th, 165)

Friday Night at the Swim Championships

It's day one of the 16th annual Centennial Conference men's and women's swimming championships at the Kunkel Aquatic Center at Franklin & Marshall. We'll be "live blogging" from poolside tonight, providing some commentary to complement the live video feed and taking your questions in a moderated chat. We'll be live at 6:45 ... hope to hear from you then.

Swimming Takes Spotlight on Saturday

It's another full Saturday of action in the Centennial Conference with the spotlight shining squarely on the pool at the Kunkel Aquatic Center in Lancaster. It's the annual renewal of the best rivalry in Conference swimming as Franklin & Marshall plays host to Gettysburg. Despite the fact that the Centennial title is determined at the Conference championship meet in two weeks, dual-meet supremacy is on the line for both the men and the women.

Gettysburg at Franklin & Marshall (Women's Swimming)
The Bullets (6-0 CC, 7-2) come a-callin' on the Diplomats (6-0, 7-4) with the dual-meet championship hanging in the balance for the sixth time in seven years. Gettysburg has won 10 dual titles, including last season, while F&M won its four from 2004-07. The Bullets feature a potent 1-2 combination in Caitlin Reilly and Keira Heath, while the Diplomats counter with standout Brittany McCabe.

Gettysburg at Franklin & Marshall (Men's Swimming)
The Bullets (5-0, 6-2) and the Diplomats (5-0, 5-5) also have the dual-meet crown at stake in the renewal of their men's rivalry. Showdowns abound in the freestyle sprints (Drew Close vs. Peter Fishler), the breaststroke (Brian Kaehler vs. Tom Grabiak) and the backstroke (Adam Taft vs. Matt Jaffee). F&M, the defending champion, has won two of the last three dual titles while Gettysburg has a Conference-leading 10 crowns to its credit but has been shut out since 2005.

Swarthmore at Dickinson (Women's Basketball)
The Garnet (8-5, 11-9) and the Red Devils (8-5, 11-9) meet in a battle between two of the five teams currently tied for second place in the Conference. Swarthmore defeated Dickinson, 71-56, back on Jan. 10 and goes for its first-ever season sweep of the Red and White. Dickinson has won five straight in the series at the Kline Center since a 2002 loss to the Garnet. Swarthmore's Kathryn Stockbower has scored in double figures in 42 consecutive games.

Haverford at Johns Hopkins (Men's Basketball)
The Fords (6-7, 9-10) and the Blue Jays (6-7, 11-9) meet in game that is crucial to both teams' playoff hopes. Hopkins captured a 69-56 decision on the Main Line on Jan. 10 and looks for its sixth straight win and second consecutive season sweep of the Fords. This is the 95th meeting between the two schools with JHU holding a 60-34 advantage.

Colden Invitational (Indoor Track and Field)
The annual meet at Ursinus' Floy Bakes Lewis Field House may feature another showdown between two of the Conference's top runners - the Bears' Christa Johnson and Johns Hopkins' Laura Paulsen. Paulsen has the CC's top time in the mile with a NCAA provisional clocking of 5:02.28, while Johnson is second with a 5:06.93 mark. Johnson has the season's top effort in the 5K (17:16.46), while Paulsen is second (17:27.48) - both provisional qualifying times.

Good-Bye to January

It's the last day of the first month of 2009 and do we have a weekend of sports action for you around the Centennial Conference! Whether you are a hoops aficionado, a swimming supporter, or a grappling groupie, there are big games, meets and bouts at a number of Conference venues.

Muhlenberg, Ursinus, Stevens at Merchant Marine (Wrestling)
There are four unbeaten teams in Conference dual-meet competition and three of them meet at Kings Point Saturday. The 12th ranked Mariners (3-0 CC, 10-6) have won 12 straight Centennial duals since losing to both the Mules (2-0, 2-3) and Bears (2-0, 4-2) on Jan. 27, 2007. Merchant Marine's James Beshada (17-3) is ranked seventh nationally at 141, while teammate Dan Twito (15-4) is sixth at 149. Muhlenberg's Rob Kein (149, 13-2) and Matt Horn (19-2, 184) are a combined 32-4 overall, while Ursinus' Steve Kingsland (133, 18-4) and Chris Springer (157, 25-9) are 43-13. Ryan Dormann (174, 21-7) leads the Ducks (2-1, 8-7).

Franklin & Marshall at Dickinson (Men's Swimming)
Two of the CC's three unbeatens meet in Carlisle as the annual rivalry between the Diplomats (3-0, 3-5) and the Red Devils (3-0, 6-0) is renewed. Keep an eye on the freestyle sprints between F&M's Peter Fishler and Dickinson's Doug Murray. Murray holds the top 50 free time (21.70) and is second in the 100 free (47.97). Fishler has the season's top time in the 100 (47.26) and 200 (1:45.01) and the No. 2 clocking in the 50 (21.87).

Franklin & Marshall at Dickinson (Women's Swimming)
The Diplomat (4-0, 5-4) and Devil (4-0, 7-0) women put spotless Centennial records on the line as well Saturday. The backstroke could be one of the deciding events, as F&M's Brittany McCabe - who has the year's best times in the 100 (59.25) and 200 (2:11.12) - will be challenged by Dickinson's Serena Gibney (100, 1:02.30) and Elizabeth Schroll (200, 2:14.28).

McDaniel at Muhlenberg (Men's Basketball)
It is the day's best doubleheader, as the Green Terror (8-3, 13-5) and Mules (6-5, 10-7) open an exciting day of hoops in Allentown. Memorial Hall is not kind to many visitors, especially McDaniel, who has won just once in its last 11 trips and twice since 1987. The Terror looks for its first season sweep of 'Berg since 1980-81 after a 70-64 triumph on Jan. 7, as Kevin Henry poured in a game-high 23 points. Peter Barnes led Muhlenberg with 20 points, 13 boards and three blocks.

McDaniel at Muhlenberg (Women's Basketball)
The 22nd ranked Mules (12-0, 15-3) and the Green Terror (8-4, 10-7) meet in a rematch of their thrilling Jan. 7 game in Westminster which 'Berg pulled out in overtime, 77-76. The trio of Alexandra Chili (22), Lauren Boyle (14) and Kelly McKeon (11, 8 asst) combined for 47 points for Muhlenberg, while Ali Moreland led the Green and Gold with 18 markers. The Mule victory evened the overall series at 14 apiece.

Franklin & Marshall at Swarthmore (Women's Basketball)
Five teams in the CC are tied for second place with four losses ... so a game between two of them does have playoff implications. The Diplomats (6-4, 9-8) look for their third straight season sweep and seventh straight win overall vs. the Garnet (7-4, 10-8) after a 74-57 triumph back on Jan. 7. F&M placed four players in double figures, led by Alison Menna's 14 points, while Kathryn Stockbower led Swarthmore with 23 points and 14 rebounds. The Dips must shut down Ceylan Bodur, who has posted consective double-doubles in wins against Ursinus and Haverford.

Championship Weekend - Part One

It's the first of two big winter weekends for the Centennial Conference - and isn't it fitting that we have snow in the Mid-Atlantic Region - with the swimming and wrestling championships set for Franklin & Marshall and Ursinus. We also have the basketball regular season finales that will determine the playoff brackets ... but that's for another post.

Swimming
The 16th annual championships get underway today at F&M's Kunkel Aquatic Center at 11:30 a.m. with the morning trials with the evening finals set for 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday trials begin at 10 a.m. and finals start at 6 p.m. Admission is $15 for an all-sessions pass, while individual session prices for $3 for trials and $5 for finals. Can't make the trip to Lancaster? You can watch all the action on your computer courtesy of Franklin & Marshall and B2 Networks. It is a pay-per-view broadcast with an $8 per day charge or an all-sessions pass for $19.99. Just want to check out the results? Follow along with the real-time results page.

Friday's "Who To Watch" -- Gettysburg's Keira Heath and F&M's Derek Nowak in the 500 free; Washington's Megan Morse and F&M's Matt Jaffee in the 200 IM; Gettysburg's Maggie Mulderrig could lead a 1-2-3 Bullet sweep in the 50 free, while F&M's Phil Rehders and Washington's Colin Soper will duel for the men's 50 free gold. Psyche Sheet

Wrestling
The 16th annual Centennial championship begins Saturday at 10 a.m. at Ursinus' Helfferich Hall. The five-time champion Bears will look to extend their streak but will face a strong challenge from #16 Merchant Marine and Stevens. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for youth 13-18, and students with ID and youth 12 and under are admitted free. The Mariners won the dual-meet title - usually indicative of tournament success, as the CC dual champion has won every title since 2001.

"Who to Watch" -- 125-Ursinus' Steve Kingsland is 17-0; 133-Ursinus' Dan Glover (14-5), Washington and Lee's David Shubick (16-8) and USMMA's Philip Greene (14-7); 141-Muhlenberg's Billy Hall (25-4) and USMMA's James Beshada (25-10); 149-Gettysburg's Matt Shank (29-6), Muhlenberg's Rob Kein (25-5) and USMMA's Dan Twito (23-6); 157-Gettysburg's Andrew Goldstein (22-2, pictured), Stevens' Charles Favia (26-4) and USMMA's Scott Lowe (26-9); 165-USMMA's Vincent Renaut (24-3) and Gettysburg's Patrick Doherty (21-9); 174-Stevens' Brandon MacWhinnie (22-3), the 2008 Centennial Wrestler of the Year; 184-Hopkins' Eric Fishel (23-6) and Ursinus' Nate Murren (25-7); 197-USMMA's Eric Vincent (26-4) and Hopkins' Tyler Schmidt (21-3); 285-Ursinus' Matt Williams (29-8) and Muhlenberg's Joe Tartar (23-8). Individual Records

Losing Your Hair

The 2008 Centennial Conference swimming championships begin Friday at Franklin & Marshall College's Kunkel Aquatic Center. One of the favorites to bring home multiple medals is one of our bloggers - Anne Miller of Swarthmore. Today, Anne talks about the team's preparation for the weekend and the hair-raising (and removing) experience.

Most swimmers look forward to taper all season. For those of you unfamiliar with the term “taper” it means a gradual and beautiful decrease of yardage and increase in time between sets before a big meet. It allows the individual to be rested and at his/her peak the weekend of competition. The change in the water and weight room is exciting and relieving when you’ve been working hard and pushing yourself to the limit all season.

However, it is generally acknowledged that taper is about more than just the physiological benefits. Much of taper and the pre-championship preparation are about being prepared mentally. For many swimmers, and certainly on the Swarthmore swim team, part of the mental preparation involves an obsession with hair. While shaving can reduce drag, it becomes a ritualized and mental tradition for many. Starting a couple of weeks before Conference, guys start to chop off their hair in stages – going from a mohawk to a shaved head, for example. In another tradition involving hair, much of the men’s and women’s team will gather together to dye our hair about a week before the meet. Finally, the night before conferences all over campus, sometimes in small groups, there will be swimmers shaving their legs and in some cases arms and heads. For girls who haven’t shaved since training trip (or in one case Christmas) this is an exciting and freeing moment.

Throughout other preparations for Conferences, whether it be creating a pump up mix with a song picked out by everyone (therefore including songs ranging from Britney Spear’s “Piece of Me,” Bloc Party’s “The Prayer,” “Be a Man” from Mulan, to Daddy Yankee’s “Lo que Paso Paso”), trying on new super-tight suits, or going to dinner as a team, the obsession with hair will not fade.

Editor's Note: Miller finished third in the 500 free in 5:09.96 on Friday night to earn a bronze medal.

Five-Star Matchups

Muhlenberg at McDaniel (Men's Basketball)
The Mules (6-5 CC, 8-10 overall) travel to Westminster to take on the Green Terror (7-4, 12-6) who have played back-to-back overtime games. Muhlenberg rolled to an 86-54 decision in Allentown back on Jan. 9 and looks for its first season sweep against McDaniel since 2005. The Mules have had a great deal of success at the Gill Center, winning six of the last nine games.

Muhlenberg at McDaniel (Women's Basketball)
The opener of the twinbill pits the second-place Mules (9-3, 14-5) against the sixth-place Green Terror (8-4, 9-9), who are just one game behind 'Berg in the standings. Muhlenberg won the first meeting between the teams on Jan. 9 by a 67-60 count.

Dickinson at Franklin & Marshall (Men's Swimming)
The Red Devils (3-0, 5-1) and the Diplomats (3-0, 4-4) meet in Lancaster and only one team will walk out with an unbeaten Conference record. Keep an eye on F&M's Peter Fishler, who has the Centennial's top times in the 100 (48.36) and 200 (1:46.51) freestyles.

Gettysburg at Swarthmore (Women's Swimming)
First place in the dual-meet season is on the line at Ware Pool as the Bullets (4-0, 7-0) and Garnet (4-0, 6-2) pit unbeaten Conference records against one another. Two of the Centennial's top swimmers - Gettysburg's Keira Heath and Swarthmore's Anne Miller - could go head-to-head in the distance freestyles. Heath has the CC's best times in the 500 (5:08.94), 1000 (10:33.90) and 1650 (17:33.86) free, while Miller has the second-best clocking in the 1000 and 1650.

The Winter Swimming Training Trip

We have asked four Centennial Conference students to provide us with some insights on life as a top-flight athlete at an elite institution of higher learning. Over the next two months, you will have to opportunity to hear from Franklin & Marshall's Sarah Meisenberg (basketball), Gettysburg's Matt Shank (wrestling), Haverford's Annick Lamar (track and field), and Swarthmore's Anne Miller (swimming). Today, Miller tells you about the infamous "Winter Training Trip" - the only trip to a warm weather climate in January that has you cursing at the clock.

It’s 5:10 AM on January 18th and a cell phone alarm is ringing, wrenching four roommates from their sleep for the ninth and final day of training trip. As they push themselves out of bed they can feel the 14 previous practices in their aching muscles and every now and then there is a groan as one of them has to bend down to pick up a swim bag or a towel off the floor. It is at this time that they all curse training trip, its demanding schedule, and strenuous workouts – both in and out of the water.

Two days later, though, back at school and with a day to sleep in, pictures start appearing on Facebook with happy comments. And as they see each other’s pictures it brings smiles to their faces. Pictures of laughter at the dinner table, tanning on the beach, and walking around San Juan during an afternoon off remind the roommates (and the rest of the team) of the good times.

As one of those cursing at 5:10, I totally understand the question most of us ask: is it worth it? For some the answer came immediately – during the slightly reckless van races back to the hotel for breakfast one of my teammates had a bit of a conversation with himself saying: “Well, what’s the worst that could happen? We could all die in a fiery crash. (a small pause) Eh, it’s all worth it for an omelet.”

We all get the motivation to get through training trip in different ways. For some it’s an omelet. For others it is the tanning. For some it is the beach volleyball. For some it is simply the opportunity to spend 10 days with their friends on the swim team. But certainly none of us question training trip's worth when it comes down to what is important.

We left training trip as a much closer team than we came. We got to know the freshmen much better and we even learned about our classmates and ourselves. Being with a group of 31 people 24/7 for over a week and enduring pain and exhaustion during that time brings you together in unbelievable ways. And it is with that sense of team that we will be swimming our Conference Meet the weekend of February the 22nd. When we do a turn and see our whole team cheering at the end of our lane, we will not be questioning the worth of training trip. When we finish a race faster than we ever have, we will not be questioning the worth of training trip. And when we get points for our team, we will not be questioning the worth of training trip.

Five-Star Matchups

Franklin & Marshall at McDaniel (Men's Basketball)
The Green Terror (6-3 CC, 11-5) looks to make history at the Gill Center when they welcome the Diplomats (5-4, 10-6) for a Saturday matinee. McDaniel has never swept a season series from the Franklin & Marshall, but a 75-62 win in Lancaster back on Dec. 8 puts the Green and Gold in position. F&M has won seven of its last eight games and is second in the Conference in scoring offense (73.5). McDaniel can win its 12th game of the season for the first time since the 1990-91 campaign.

Dickinson at Washington (Women's Swimming)
The Red Devils (3-0, 5-1) put their unbeaten CC record on the line in Chestertown against the Shorewomen (2-1, 8-1). The 200-yard freestyle promises to be one of the highlight events as the three fastest times in the CC are held by Washington's Megan Morse (1:57.60) and Rachel Glasser (1:58.26), and Dickinson's Elizabeth Schroll (1:58.26).

Merchant Marine, Muhlenberg, Ursinus at Stevens (Wrestling)
Three teams with undefeated CC dual-match records meet in Hoboken on a Saturday that could decide the Centennial dual-meet title. The Bears (2-0, 9-0), Ducks (2-0, 5-1) and Mariners (2-0, 7-4) also welcome the Mules (1-1, 2-4) to the quad affair. Key matches include 125 between Ursinus' Steve Kingland (13-0) and USMMA's Jordan Alfaro (12-6); 141 between Muhlenberg's Billy Hall (20-3) and the Mariners' James Beshada (16-8); 165 between the Bears' Mike Schwager (15-1, 11 falls) and USMMA's Vincent Renaut (19-2); and 174 between the Ducks' Brandon MacWhinnie (15-3), ranked fourth nationally, and the Mules' Justin Fitch (17-4).