Wildcats to Host UNCW Friday in Cannon Pool

The Davidson swimming and diving teams will return to competition Friday afternoon in Cannon Pool when UNCW visits.

The meet was originally set for Feb. 20, but was postponed, and it'll be the Wildcats' only official competition prior to the Atlantic 10 Conference championships, which are set for April 11-14 in Geneva, Ohio. They last competed at the A-10 Championships Feb. 19-22, 2020.

"I know that the energy is going to be high," said Siena Senn, who won A-10 gold in the 500 freestyle last year. "We are going to take advantage of this opportunity to show what our team has been working toward throughout the past year."

Friday's meet will begin with diving at 3 p.m., with swimming to follow. Live stats will be available on Meet Mobile.

"I'm excited to finally compete again," said diver Daniel Valmassei, last season's A-10 one-meter champion. "It's been over a year since my last competition, and that, honestly, feels a bit weird more than anything else. I can't say I really remember exactly what a meet feels like, but I'm confident we'll be out in full force on Friday."

Last year, the Wildcats registered four A-10 event wins and finished fifth in both the men's and women's standings. A-10 champion Sarah Helen Shepherd returns after sweeping the 200 and 400 IM titles last year, and Shelby Stanley, last year's A-10 Most Outstanding Rookie, returns after earning five conference medals.

Like every other aspect of life on campus and elsewhere, the Wildcats have adjusted to the new normal of the past year. There have been fewer two-a-day practices, and lanes have often been limited to two swimmers, instead of four. It's meant more pool time to get the athletes the same amount of work.

"Training has been so different," said coach John Young. "Part of the reason is knowing what to expect. We've been forced to engage with the team in a much different way than we have historically. A silver lining of all this is the training paradigm maybe shifts a little bit."

Friday will give the Wildcats an opportunity to measure their progress and make the necessary adjustments as they work toward the A-10 championships next month.

The Wildcats did participate in a virtual meet with William & Mary on March 6. While the competition doesn't count in official results, it did provide an opportunity to compete with another team, even if one was swimming in Davidson and another in Williamsburg, Va. Now, with UNCW set to visit, meet day will feel more normal.

But perhaps more than anything, the Wildcats are just grateful to be in the water as often as they've been.

"I am very grateful that, throughout the school year, we have had relatively consistent access to the pool and strength training," said Senn. "Despite all of the adjustments, our practices have been intense, and we have definitely been putting in the work. Every day, I recognize how lucky I am to be back doing the sport that I love. As a team, I think we have realized that we have a lot to be grateful for and that we will never take the opportunity to practice and compete for granted. We are very thankful that we have been able to practice and push each other to be better."

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Players Mentioned

Siena Senn

Sarah Helen Shepherd

Shelby Stanley

Daniel Valmassei

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