The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Women's Swimming and Diving mentally ready to race
02.21.2012 | Women's Swimming and Diving
Feb. 21, 2012
Natalie England, TexasSports.com
AUSTIN, Texas - Almost a year later, and the memory is still fresh for the Texas Women's Swimming and Diving team. They remember calculating, executing and then quietly creeping into the team locker room to pull out the championship T-shirts.
That's how the Longhorns allowed themselves to celebrate -- also with a customary splash in the pool -- after they erased a seven-point deficit to defeat rival Texas A&M to win the 2011 conference crown, the program's 10th Big 12 title and first since 2009.
"I still get goose bumps thinking about it," said sophomore Lily Moldenhauer, the 2011 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. "We want to have that feeling again."
When head coach Kim Brackin surprised her Longhorns with their conference championship rings last October, this year's freshmen sat in a circle, watching their elder teammates relive old glory, and wishing for more of the same.
"They were amazed," Moldenhauer said. "They got real excited, and they see and know that they have a place to contribute."
The Longhorns enter the 2012 Big 12 Championships, which begin Wednesday in Columbia, Missouri, with a winter's worth of confidence. UT handed No. 1 Georgia a rare dual meet loss in January and later topped No. 9 Arizona in its home pool.
UT's swimmers rank among the nation's top-20 fastest times in 12 events, including a No. 7 mark for the 400 freestyle relay foursome.
"I feel very confident about where the group is. I think the work we've put in is exceptional, and it's a mature group," Brackin said.
The Longhorns have put in the physical preparation and are now preparing psychologically to race.
"We're in a good spot. People are having fun and staying relaxed, because you can definitely psyche yourself out and get too worked up and anxious," said senior workhorse Karlee Bispo, a 15-time Big 12 Champion who last year posted three top-four performances at the NCAA Championships. "This is a high-emotion meet, and one that's very close. I think it will bring out the best in a lot of swimmers."
With that in mind, the Longhorns are focusing on bringing out the best in each other. Just before the team departed for Missouri, the squad's training groups gathered for an exchanging of stars.
One swimmer drew a name, and then anonymously wrote down one positive attribute about the other.
"It's important to acknowledge that in your teammates," Bispo said. "You have to have self-confidence to perform at this level, and it feels good to be acknowledged."
With only two relay races on the first day of the meet, Bispo said it's a good way to set a good tone and positive mood for the meet. But the Longhorns have full expectations for the championship to be decided on the final day, when last year UT's strong diving corps contributed significantly to the Longhorns' vault up the leaderboard.
"What I'm looking for is the whole team to step up, be relaxed but aggressive and put themselves in a position where they are getting used to going for it in a pressurized environment," diving coach Matt Scoggin said.
