Tonight will mark the final home meet for six N.C. State seniors with the swimming and diving team. Lindsay Barwegen, Kerry Whitson, Amy Baskwell, Melissa Jamerino, Laura Neely and Steve Cowling will take to the pool at Casey Natatorium for the final time when the Wolfpack takes on North Carolina at 5 p.m.
The men are coming into the meet at 3-3 overall and 2-1 in the ACC, while the women are 3-5 overall and 0-3 in the ACC. The final regular season meet for both squads will be on Jan. 27 when the Pack travels to Clemson.
“It’s pretty exciting for our last home meet to be against UNC, a big rival, obviously,” Barwegen said. “We had our senior meet last week, so there won’t be any celebrations or anything, but it will still be momentous for us. Plus it’ll be my birthday, too. It’s going to be a really good meet. UNC is probably the top ACC team right now; they’re swimming really fast.”
Cowling said having the final home meet be against UNC makes it more enjoyable.
“It’s going to be fun, especially because we get to take on UNC,” he said. “The past four years, we haven’t been able to beat them. Hopefully I’ll be able to contribute and help us come out on top.”
Barwegen said it’s important not to get caught up in the emotions of the meet — that it’s important to keep oneself grounded while preparing for a big meet.
“I try not to think about it,” she said. “We have another meet coming up against Clemson and then the ACC meet after that. It probably won’t hit me personally until we get to the ACCs. You have to look at the positives. Yeah, it’s the last home meet, but you can’t dwell on it. I try to look at it as just another meet. If you get emotional about it, that’s when it starts messing with your head.”
Cowling said he tries to focus on his events to prepare for the meet.
“Granted, it’s the last home meet, but there’s still the ACC and NCAA championships to worry about, too,” he said. “But it does make it sweeter, facing our rival in our last home meet. It would be very, very special to beat them.”
Barwegen said despite the team’s previous four meets having ended in losses, she’s optimistic about tonight’s meet.
“This is the best I’ve felt all season, so I feel really good about going in there,” she said. “I’d love to get some season-best times at the meet.”
Cowling said the meet will be tough, but he’s going into it with some confidence.
“We have a lot of talent here,” he said. “We have a lot of people who are going to swim our hearts out and come tomorrow. Hopefully we’ll be one up on the Tar Heels.”
