“I want to win the championships,” Ohio coach Greg Werner said after losing the first dual meet against Eastern Michigan in October. “It’s the ultimate goal.”
Four months, a 6-3 dual meet record and a pair of top two invitational finishes later, Werner’s goal is unchanged.
“It’s the tradition (to win),” he said, pointing to the numerous banners hanging in the Aquatic Center. “We want to continue that.”
Werner looked more relaxed last week than he has all season, but he knows there is a lot at stake when the Mid-American Conference Championship Tournament begin in Buffalo, N.Y., on Thursday.
All season long he has made it well known that he wants to win. Neither a 182-112 loss to Ohio State nor a 176.5-123.5 loss to rival Miami on senior weekend changed his mind.
“I don’t feel that the outcomes of the dual meets are an indicator of the outcome of the championships,” he said.
Werner also added that the tournament’s scoring system is completely different from that of a dual meet. In fact, as soon as the championship starts, dual meet records don’t matter anymore, as in theory each of the eight conference teams has an equal chance to win.
The reality, however, tells a different story.
“Four teams will be able to compete for the championship: Toledo, Ohio, Eastern Michigan and us,” Miami head coach Dave Jennings said.
Other coaches share a similar opinion.
Werner sees the all four teams finishing beyond the 600-point mark — something that has not happened in the history of the MAC.
“It will come down to the last race,” junior captain Laurin Williams said.
The Bobcats will only come out on top if they are able to stay consistent throughout the three-day competition and stop the rollercoaster ride that has been their 2012-13 season.
On a good day, the Bobcats are able to beat reigning MAC champion Toledo by 40 points. On an off day, however, they could lose to Miami by more than that margin.
“I think now that we will be rested and coming off the taper it will be much better,” sophomore Megan Davis said.
Still, an unsatisfying preliminary round on the first day could ruin Ohio’s chances for the title — a notion Werner is well aware of.
“Something never goes according to plan and you have to be ready to that,” Werner said. “The individuals and the teams who are able to handle adversity best will win.”
Werner has talked to his team all year about the issue at hand, and has prepared it for this weekend since the summer.
When the Bobcats arrived in Buffalo Tuesday night, they still had three more practices ahead of them to become adjusted to Buffalo’s pool, as Werner is unwilling to leave even the slightest thing to chance.
“If we win MACs I will jump off the 10-meter platform,” he said.
Werner has done his part, now it is on his athletes to make it happen.
am794811@ohiou.edu
