UCLA swim and dive to host top-ranked Stanford and Cal
Junior butterfly and individual medley swimmer Kacey Milligan said the Bruins are trying to block out the distraction of past meets and focus only on the current competition.
By Nathaniel Liebes
Jan. 31, 2014 1:07 a.m.
As the season winds down for UCLA swimmers and divers, the intensity will rapidly pick up. The Bruins will let technique be their guide for the championship season.
The UCLA swim and dive team will face No. 4 Stanford on Friday and No. 1 California on Saturday at the Spieker Aquatic Center. These meets represent its third-to-last and penultimate dual meets of the season before the Pac-12 championships and NCAA championships.
According to senior backstroke and butterfly swimmer Anna Senko, intensity will be much higher in the championship season.
“There is a lot more intensity and the races are more well-matched between the teams, and since it is the end of the season, I think people are focused a little more on performance (now) than they are in other parts of the season,” Senko said.
To combat the intensity, the Bruins will remain focused on form and technique to help them compete.
“We focus more on details when racing against these teams,” said sophomore freestyle and butterfly swimmer Madison Appelgate.
The two teams the Bruins will be facing are loaded with talent. They are both very highly ranked, and four-time Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin will be competing for Cal. The Bruins realize that it is tough competition like this that they will be up against.
Junior butterfly and individual medley swimmer Kacey Milligan spoke about the importance of planning and execution.
“I try to remind myself of everything that I have done to get to this point. Past competitions come into play there because they are learning experiences that make you better for the next,” Milligan said. “With that said, I try to be the same swimmer and try to swim fast when it counts; swim smart and go in with a plan and execute it.”
While the competition may be tough and the intensity for these upcoming meets high, the Bruins are excited about their opportunities this weekend.
“We have huge potential to be great and having the opportunity to show that and carry it out has been exciting for the team,” Milligan said.
