University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

Brittney Kuras is one of seven UB swimmers who qualified to compete in the U.S. Olympic trials, which begin on June 25 in Omaha, Neb.

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  Head Coach Andy Bashor explains how UB swimmers prepare to face the nation’s best at the Olympic Trials. Watch a video.

By CORY NEALON

Published: June 14, 2012

Perched atop a starting block at the pool inside Alumni Arena, Brittney Kuras, a junior-to-be from Canandaigua, dives into the water at the command of Graduate Assistant Coach Jeff Kilner

She is flanked by teammate Mallory Morrell, and the pair swims half the pool at top speed before slowing to a leisurely pace. Upon reaching the opposite end, the swimmers dart underwater and push off the wall with their legs. Another mad dash ends at the pool’s center, where they ease up and return to Kilner.

“Nice job,” he says. “Let’s go again in 20 seconds.”

Elsewhere in the pool, former Bulls standout diver and UB alumna Meili Carpenter bobs up and down on a trampoline practicing her tucks and spins. Matt Schwippert, a senior-to-be from East Aurora, kicks through the water while his arms lock around a bodyboard. Assistant Coach Will Bernhardt, a backstroke specialist from Indiana, rolls up his sweatpants as if he just noticed the sweltering heat and humidity.

The purpose of the practice? To ready the Bulls for what Head Coach Andy Bashor describes as an event they’ll remember for the rest of their lives—the U.S. Olympic trials.

The swimming portion of the trials, which take place June 25-July 2 in Omaha, Neb., will feature roughly 1,800 athletes. A typical race includes several heats that feature up to 140 competitors. The diving trials are scheduled June 17-24 near Seattle.

“This is really a big deal,” Bashor says. “It’s hard to beat as far as individual achievements go.”

The Bulls who qualified for the trials—Phil Aronica, Mike Dugan, Matt Hogan and Alie Schirmers are the others—did so at events held in Western New York and beyond since 2010. To stay in shape, they practice six days a week, routinely arriving at the pool before the sun rises.

“It’s kind of like a part-time job,” Bashor says of the training, adding that “it takes a very dedicated person to do this and succeed at both” academics and athletics.

Physical and mental preparation

Because the season began in October, the swimmers are in peak physical shape. Practices focus on technique and mental preparation, such as getting good starts and keeping a steady pace. Swimmers use snorkels to breathe, a device that enables them to keep their faces underwater and focus entirely on stroke mechanics. They also practice starting races with 45-to-90-pound buckets of water—part of a lever system on the pool deck—strapped to their waists.

Some of the women, like Kuras, have even stopped shaving their legs. The hair creates drag, which slows her progress through the water; the practice is akin to a baseball player swinging two bats while waiting for his turn at the plate.

It’s attention to detail like this that has helped UB swimmers and divers set 20 university records during the past three seasons. It also led the men’s team to its first MAC championship in 2011. UB is the first university other than Eastern Michigan and Miami (Ohio) to claim the honor since 1979, according to UB Athletics. The accolades are testament to a growing program that now includes eight Olympic hopefuls, a record for UB, Bashor says.

Building the program

The eight Bulls competing in the trials will help UB build a stronger swimming and diving program, says Bashor, who led recruiting efforts and coached at Rutgers and UC-Santa Barbara before arriving in Buffalo six years ago. His presence and strategy appear to be paying dividends; recent workouts in Alumni Arena include not only the eight qualifiers but also teammates eager to keep pace with them.

“With the success we’ve had, there’s definitely an incentive to stay here and train with your teammates,” Bernhardt says.

As for the eight Olympic hopefuls, they’re continuing to exploit any advantage they can to achieve their goals.

Kuras will shave her legs just before the trials to eliminate the drag and, the theory goes, give her a small but significant boost as she swims through water. Other swimmers will do the same; the practice, which tends to fascinate outsiders, is routine to those involved in the sport.

“Shaving is just shaving,” Kuras says. “You just have to deal with it when you’re not shaving.”

Indeed. And until the end of June, when Kuras and seven other Bulls go toe-to-toe with the nation’s best, that’s exactly what she’ll do.