With two wins and five losses in the season so far for the Colby men's swim team and four wins and four losses for the women's swim team, Coach Tom Burton is optimistic about the rest of the season.

"The team has had a steady improvement throughout the season and we are ready to face the challenges that are ahead of us for the spring," Burton said. Also captain Kevin Smith '10 is positive about the season.

"So far, we are largely satisfied. It is hard to win since [the men's team] is a small team compared to others, but right now we are dropping times like never before," he said.

The women's team has had slightly better results up until now, but captain Danielle Carlson '10 emphasizes that they still want more.

"We're pretty happy, but we still have a lot to accomplish in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). Our primary aim is to beat Bates and Bowdoin," she said.

Burton sees a lot of potential in the women's team "In NESCAC we expect to end in top five, maybe even four. Hopefully, five or six of them will make it to the nationals [National Collegiate Athletic Association]. That could mean the Colby women's team will make it to the top 20 on a national level," Burton said.

The women's NESCAC championships will take place in Middlebury, VT. Although the men's team has been a bit down, Burton is excited to see its performance in the NESCAC.

"They work very hard and set best times constantly, so I expect they will knock out a few teams in the NESCAC," Burton said.

Raymond Rieling '12 is specific about the men's goal in NESCAC, "Hopefully, we can beat Bates and Bowdoin. JanPlan was intense for us, so I hope we'll see the results of that," Rieling said. The men's NESCAC championships will be held in Williamstown, Mass. on the weekend of February 26th.

In additionto improving results, the teams also appreciate the social aspect of being on a varsity team. "We're all getting along really well and are having a lot of fun. This definitely helps us improve as we get to know each other better and better," Mandy Ferguson '12, said. "We're getting closer and closer and I think we can see the results of that now," Carlson said. Another component that seems to be central to the development of the swim teams is the coaching staff. "We love Coach. All of them actually," Smith said. Burton thinks highly of his swimmers, "I'm very proud of my team. All of them are in a very good spot in terms of training - they are passionate and very focused. They deserve all the approbation in the world."