After a respectable showing last week at the season-opening MIAA Relays, the Belles look to get an early jump in the conference tonight as they face off against Kalamazoo.
Considering last week's relays were non-timed events, this will be the first official meet for the Belles this year.
Last season was a forgettable one for Saint Mary's, led by second-year coach Alicia Dombkowski. The Belles are looking to rebound from a season where they lost six of their nine dual meets.
There is no doubt that the Belles want to start off the year with a win, but Kalamazoo has proven to be one of the conference's toughest teams, and that trend seems to have continued into this season. Last week, Kalamazoo consistently posted top-five times in each relay while Saint Mary's highest finish was third place in the 1,500-yard freestyle.
For Saint Mary's to be successful, it will need to get significant production from its freshmen. The Belles' roster is currently composed of 21 swimmers, 13 of which are entering their first year.
For the team to develop into a conference power, something they have not been able to do for the past couple decades, these freshmen will need to play a big role early on.
Tonight's meet is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at the Rolfs Aquatic Center.
