Hamline Swimming & Diving began their season with the annual Alumni Meet on Saturday, Oct. 3. The meet, which is not scored, is a chance to get everyone involved and garner school spirit for the program.

Head Coach Ryan Hawke explained what the meet means to the team.

“It helps connect with other Pipers and understand history,” Hawke said. “We mix the current team with alumni in relays and then watch the football game.”

The relaxed atmosphere of the meet is meant to help the team bond with both alumni and some of the many new faces on the team.

Hawke has expanded the roster size of both the men’s and women’s teams by a great amount, and talked about how he did that.

“It’s been a lot of phone calls and talking to people. They see what we’re doing here and it’s about building on that,” Hawke said.

Coach Hawke is looking forward to the women’s team improving as much as the men have since he became coach.

“The women’s team was smaller [last year]. We’re excited building off roster numbers,” Hawke said. “The women will excel in sprints.”

Senior Victor Lara is excited about the team’s increase in size for another year.

“We have a bigger team and a stronger team. Team dedication helped us to achieve our goals last year. We beat a St. John’s relay,” Lara said.

Lara cited teamwork as an important part of the improvement the team has had, and talked about how they incorporate all of the new recruits.

“In captain’s practice it’s not just going into the pool. We play ultimate frisbee and go out to eat so we can get to know each other,” Lara said.

Coach Hawke also has his own way of emphasizing teamwork.

“We have a team bonding retreat. It refocuses efforts on the team atmosphere,” Hawke said.

Since the alumni meet is more of a warm-up, the team is now working towards the St. Thomas relay meet as their first major competition of the season.

With this meet in mind, the team talked about their goals for the rest of the season.

“We definitely want to move up to fifth, improve one spot from last year. Our goal for relays is to be top three,” Lara said.

Coach Hawke shared this goal, and feels that this team has the potential to do it.

“Our mid-distance has the most depth of any team I’ve ever coached,” Hawke said.

Derek Jones, a transfer with first-year eligibility, hopes for something much more.

“It’d be pretty cool to go to nationals,” Jones said.

Every swimmer hopes for team success, but individual goals are also important.

“I want to beat my personal times and break the 200 IM school record,” Lara said.

First-year Tatiana Yepes, who plans to compete in the 100 Free, had a message that everyone could relate to.

“There’s always room for improvement,” Yepes said.

Lara also let it be known which events to watch for during the season.

“Men’s 800 Free Relay is gonna be strong, that and 200 IM are our two strongest ones,” Lara said.

The team looks forward to the season and being able to build on the program that upperclassmen and alumni have made into what it is today.

Coming up for the team will be the Hamline Pentathlon at Bush Pool on Saturday, Oct. 17, followed by the St. Thomas Relays on Saturday, Oct. 24.