By
Kyle Faraday
Arizona Daily Wildcat
UA inexperienced with 13 newcomers
The Arizona men's swimming and diving team will find out what it's made of this weekend in Southern California.
Facing its stiffest competition of the season so far, the No. 4 Wildcats will square off against the sixth-ranked USC Trojans today. It is a good early-season test for the men, as they will find out what this year's team can do after emerging from the shadow of Arizona legend Ryk Neethling.
The team entered the season ranked fourth in the nation in the preseason edition of the Speedo College Swimming Coaches Association top-25.
UA head coach Frank Busch believes that the rankings mean very little since they reflect the success of last year's team.
"We are very realistic about our current situation," he said. "Certainly we feel that we are a top-10 team, but only time will tell how all of our younger guys will respond."
Unlike the Arizona women's team, which returns most of its swimmers, the men's team has lost many of its top competitors from last year and sports 13 new faces.
The younger swimmers will have to rise to the occasion very quickly, knowing that USC is the best squad they have faced.
"The men's team is at a very different place than the women in that they haven't had enough time to come together," Busch said. "There is a very small group of seniors that are teaching the younger guys both how to compete, and compete as a unit."
The new group is perhaps the best class the program has ever brought in. Last year's third place finish at the NCAA Championships would seem to have a lasting effect on both the expectations and recruiting of Arizona. The Wildcats will know after this weekend how well all of its potential will translate into actual results for the team.
Besides the crucial Pac-10 battle with USC, the men will also take part in the Southern California Invite tomorrow.
The meet will feature many locally and nationally prominent teams that should further test the early-season form of Arizona.
Should they emerge unbeaten from its difficult test this weekend, the Arizona men may look back on the meets as a veritable rite of passage.
"Our obvious goal is to win every meet we participate in, but our focus right now is on getting the underclassmen some knowledge and experience," Busch said.
