Freshman Mariya Pavlovskya is looking to earn her first "A" cut time this weekend in Long Beach.

Feb. 12, 2008

FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Three weeks have passed since the Alaska Nanooks' last swim meet that followed a rigorous two-week training trip in early January. Head coach Scott Lemley has had his squad resting and tapering over the past few weeks in preparation for the Pacific Coaches Swim Conference Championships to be held this weekend (Feb. 13-16) in Long Beach, California.

Although the team has cut back on its total mileage in practices, the intensity has not completely subsided in the Nanooks training.

"Basically the bulk of what we would call `work' was done prior to that (last) meet," Lemley said. "We've been focusing speed-wise for the meet (this weekend)."

The team will work to achieve similar results to last season, when Alaska scored 226 points (good for 10th place) to improve upon its 187-point showing (11th place) in 2006.

"(Last year) we were 10th - 86 points behind Seattle University - so our goal is to move up one place. I don't know whether it will be Seattle U. or the team above them [UC Santa Cruz] but we definitely want to move up a place. Seattle U. is in the first year of transition to Division I, so they're definitely revamping their program and it will make it a good challenge."

Alaska faces a great yet familiar challenge in that it travels just 12 swimmers (six of whom are freshman) out of a possible 18 who can compete for points. When coupled with the fact that the Nanooks will be without the services of All-American Kelly Becker this weekend (for academic reasons) the goal may seem optimistic, but the third-year coach is confident in his team's abilities.

"Practice-wise it's by far been the best of the three seasons so far that the program's been reinstated, which gives me a lot of confidence going into the meet in terms of individual performance," Lemley said. "I suspect that the girls are all feeling pretty confident too."

Lemley is hopeful that a few more Nanooks might earn "A" cuts this weekend in events they've previously achieved "B" for to join Becker at the NCAA Championship in March. Junior captain Samantha Zinsli has already achieved two "B" cuts (1000 and 1650 freestyle) and is ranked second in the mile heading into this weekend's races, while freshman Mariya Pavlovskya has earned "B" cuts in the 200 and 400 individual medleys and the 200 backstroke.

"The potential is greater than it has been in the last couple of years and we'll just have to see how it plays out," said Lemley.

The PCSC Conference Championships at the Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool begins Wednesday, February 13, with two relays - the 200 individual medley and 800 freestyle - and two diving events. Thursday will feature the first full day of individual events, including the 50 and 500 freestyle, the 200 individual medley, and the 200 freestyle relay.