The Massachusetts men’s and women’s swim and dive teams will compete with some of the best programs in the Northeast at the Terrier Invitational this weekend in Boston.
Coming off a 165-135 victory over Boston University on Oct. 22, the Minutemen are looking to stay on the right track. Star swimmer Oliver Wyeth and standout diver Trent Kindvall have both already won Atlantic 10 performer of the week honors, and the team is poised for success at its second multi-day event of 2016.
Per women’s coach Bob Newcomb, Boston College, West Point, Vermont, Fairfield and Bridgeport will join host Boston University and UMass at the annual three-day event.
Along with BU, both UMass teams have already competed with West Point this year, with the Minutemen losing 188-110, and the Minutewomen fallingz 171-127. Kindvall and senior Nolan Burns placed first in the one-meter dive and three-meter dive, respectively against the Black Knights.
In preparation of this meet, Newcomb said rest is most important in the week leading up to an invitational.
“For this particular invitational, we let them rest,” Newcomb said. “Usually in swimming, we keep the training up all during the season, so we have an opportunity to rest leading up to the Terrier Invitational.”
Newcomb added: “We then do what’s called a taper; a full body rest going into the Atlantic 10 Championships in February.”
Finals for each event are later during their scheduled day. Each final is where the meaningful points are scored, and where the invitational will ultimately be won.
“In the morning, our registered swimmers compete, and at night, the fastest 24 come back,” Newcomb said. “That’s when you really score the points.”
Trials begin at 10 a.m. all three days. Finals begin at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 5 p.m. Sunday.
This will not be the Minutemen’s first invitational of the year. UMass competed at the Colgate Fall Classic in early October with host Colgate, Cleveland State University, LIU-Brooklyn, St. Francis University and Le Moyne College. The men dominated, placing first with a score of 1284. The women came in second at 839.5, only to St. Francis’ 940.
The Minutemen won the 2015 Terrier Invitational with a score of 947. Second place West Point was nearly 100 points behind at 852. UMass’ Alessandro Bomprezzi had the second highest individual point total, scoring 807 in the 500 free. In the past two years he has set school-record times in the 500 free, the 1000 free, and 1650 free. The Minutewomen placed fourth in their bracket with a score of 469.
After this weekend, both the men’s and women’s teams will be out of action until the Bucknell Diving Invitational on Dec. 2-4.
Henry Bretcher can be reached at [email protected], and followed on Twitter @HBrechter.
