"We're going to find out," said Head Coach Jim Bolster.

The team begins the season with a meet against Harvard and Army at West Point on Friday and has another meet Sunday at the University of Massachusetts.

The swimming contingent has had a few distractions, causing Bolster to be "cautiously optimistic." Several strong swimmers have returned, but five of the eight seniors that were supposed to be back are no longer with the team, taking away some important leadership. There is still a lot of talent in the program, especially from first-years Julien Howe, Arpad Sebe, Adam Green, Lawrence Lee, Daniel Kim, Paul Barnes, and Adrian Piergallini. They are mostly swimming the strokes that were weaknesses last year--the backstroke, breaststroke, and individual medley.

Sebe was a Senior National swimmer in Canada and is one of the most promising first-years on the team. He will help a lot in the individual medley and breaststroke this season.

Further, Howe is especially effective in the backstroke and butterfly events, especially the 200-yard backstroke.

Barnes is considered one of the most versatile new swimmers and will lend a significant amount of help in the backstroke, breaststroke, and individual medley. Kim will also help out in the distance free and fly events. Several of the first-years, including Lee, are walk-ons. Nevertheless, all of the first-years will more than likely have a rolein the success of this year's team.

The swimming team is focusing its efforts on Army in the meet this weekend rather than on Harvard. In past years, this invitational has ended with Harvard winning. Columbia and Army usually compete for the next spot, which the Lions have usually ended up taking.

"If we swim the way we're capable of, we can beat West Point," Bolster said.

Harvard provides great competition for the team, and, along with Princeton has been one of the most dominant teams in recent history. "Harvard is at the level we aspire to be at by the end of the year," Bolster said.

The team then takes on UMass in Amherst. This meeting is the third in the last three years. Columbia lost when they met for the first time at UMass in 1997, but beat them at home last season.

Men's diving sports a great trio of newcomer Josh Juffe, and two returning divers, junior Mark Fichera and senior Daniel Brown. Brown is one of the team's co-captains along with swimmers Peter Freuler and Gered Doherty. The diving team hasn't lost a meet since February of 1998 against Navy and went undefeated last year.

"They are anxious to defend the title of being the best diving team in the league," said diving head coach Gordon Spencer. This weekend is especially challenging for the diving team since both Harvard and UMass have divers that threaten the team's winning streak.

"It's motivating to have someone that's a threat to you," said Spencer.

Spencer considers it an advantage to start the season with such a challenging weekend of meets. "The divers are ready to substantiate their training efforts by beating somebody," he said with a smile.

"We have the ability to win two of the three meets this weekend," said Bolster. "But it's up to the guys from there."