Swimmers find solace in the sun, men beat Colgate

While some of us were left to endure freezing temperatures and arctic winds over interim, the men and women’s varsity swim team was basking in the Florida sun. Each year over winter break, the team travels down to Plantation, Fla. where they have access to a 50-meter Olympic-sized outdoor pool. The added distance is a proven stamina-building training technique.

“We put in roughly four hours a day in the pool,” Dana Purdy ‘13, one of the captains of the women’s team, said. “We knew that we needed to put in the hours and get through the difficult sets.” And the sun? Well, that’s just a plus. But after ten days in paradise, the team returned to Easton for the remainder of interim. Lauren Berry ‘14 said the empty campus offered the team a chance to bond.

“We had movie nights, team dinners, and went laser tagging,” Berry said. “But I think we bond most over supporting each other through practices and helping each other survive the hardest weeks of the season.”

The team’s hard work is already beginning to pay off.

At a tri-meet against Army and Colgate this past Saturday at West Point, the men’s team defeated Colgate, which they have not done since 2008.

“[The win] gives us a helpful boost of confidence heading into the Patriot League Championship in a few weeks,” captain Victor Giannini ‘13 said.

The team’s next meet is the Bucknell Invitational, this upcoming Saturday. For some members of the team, this is their last meet of the season, and they will be rested and ready to aim for their best personal times.

For others who will represent Lafayette at the Patriot League Championships, the invitational is a preparation and a preview for what they can expect at championships.

For Berry, the end of the season is about the team coming together.

“I want to see all of us still stay focused, have fun, and enjoy our