Although the final scores would reflect otherwise, North Carolina did not swim to its potential Monday against Clemson.
The Tar Heel men won 178-118 and the women won 183-104. Both teams are now 5-1 on the season and 4-0 in conference play.
But despite both UNC teams winning handily, coach Rich DeSelm was adamant about the need to work hard and improve as the team has been out of competition since November.
“We weren’t really very good today,” DeSelm said. “It was the first meet for almost everybody on the team in well over a month. We’re a little rusty, a little bit out of competitive shape.”
The wide margins in Monday’s meet came as no surprise to DeSelm. Clemson is cutting its swimming and diving program at the end of this year, and DeSelm noted that has caused a drop-off in talent for the Tigers.
“Clemson has had a great tradition. Given the scenario at Clemson, I was pretty confident that (UNC) would win,” DeSelm said. “They’ve got some excellent swimmers, but they just aren’t as deep as we are.”
A few North Carolina swimmers did show promise in Monday’s meet. Freshmen Dominick Glavich and Brian Bollerman both won two individual events. Fellow freshman Kelsey Cummings did the same for the women.
Senior divers Jenna Moore and David MacDonald swept their events, as both won the 1-meter and 3-meter competitions.
With its next meet Saturday against No. 12 Virginia, both North Carolina teams have their work cut out for them.
