For some teams, the second best record in school history would be a good enough reason to be complacent. Fortunately, the men’s swimming team is still striving for new goals this season.

Coming off a 12-3 mark last year, third-year coach Anne Marie Stricklin has high hopes for this season.

“I want the team to pick up where they left off last year,” the 2000 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year said. “We want to improve in our dual meets as well as our conference standing.”

The loss of MAC Swimmer of the Year Mick Coyne will leave a huge void at the top for the Huskies. But stepping into the leading role this year will be senior Dario Fuentes.

Fuentes, a native of Madrid, Spain, captured First-Team All-MAC honors last season. His performance at the MAC Championships last March included a second place finish in the 100 meter freestyle and a third place finish in the 100 meter butterfly.

Fellow seniors Leon Weed and Peter Cabo also expect good seasons after an impressive junior year.

Weed, who held NIU records in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke, lowered both of those marks last year at the MAC Championships. Cabo will look to improve on his seventh place showing in the 200 freestyle at the same event.

The other four point scorers returning from last season will be led by Dan Cornelius. As a sophomore, Cornelius will be experienced and confident coming off a fourth place finish in the 200-meter freestyle at the MAC Championships.

The Huskies will have good competition to start off the year as the University of Wisconsin comes today. The Badgers finished last season ranked in the top 25 in the NCAA Championships.

“We face some great competition right off the bat against Wisconsin, and they’ll give us a good idea of where we stand in our training,” Stricklin said. “I’ve been very impressed with how we’ve been training the past month and a half.”