Swim, dive teams look ahead to next conference meet
"It's funny because you think [it] would, but they really don't talk about it that much. For them it's more of a goal in the back of each of their heads," Moody said. "What I like about them right now is that they're already really focused on SECs. That's what we want. We want to really focus in on the championship meet, those four days in February when everything really does matter."
The men's team is 7-0, the best start the team has ever had. It is the most consecutive wins to begin a season since 1992, when the Gamecocks started out 4-0. That year the men finished 6-6 and have had five winning seasons since.
Moody said there aren't many differences between the current team and previous versions, but the crucial one is the mental attitude.
"We've always had athletes here that work hard and athletes that are very motivated. What they lacked was the direction to focus that motivation and that work. Really, what's different about this team is they're probably a little more ingrained in the culture now that we've been here a few years, and they're more adjusted to what the expectations are," Moody said. "I think the mindset has caught up with the athletic ability. They're starting to see the success that we've known they are capable of."
Preparing for SECs: The men's and women's teams will take on East Carolina University tonight and the University of North Carolina-Wilmington Saturday.
"This weekend is a lot different then anything we've had all year. We're racing on Friday night and then turning around and racing again on Saturday. And we haven't done that all season," Moody said. "This is going to prepare us well for SECs because of course we'll be tired after Friday, but we've got to suck it up, refuel and get ready to go to UNCW on Saturday. And if we're not ready we'll lose. It is good practice for February, and that's what we're looking at."
Thiago Cavalcanti, a distance swimmer for ECU, will be one of South Carolina's biggest challengers. In a meet last weekend, Cavalcanti won the 500- and 1,000-yard freestyle events.
"He's not only a good distance swimmer, but a good man. He's a good representative for ECU," Moody said.
Jenna Stewart is a senior swimmer for ECU, and Moody said she will likely provide a tough challenge for his team.
Dependable divers: Courtney Forcucci defeated ACC champion diver Abby Johnston in this weekend's meet against Duke. Moody said the diving team consistently performs well, and he can always count on them to provide the team with a boost.
"Our divers are an incredibly strong part of our program. There are very few teams in the country that when we race them, I'm concerned whether or not our divers are going to win — very few teams," Moody said. "You can almost bank on those points when you look at planning out the meet because you know how good they are. It's a huge benefit to have these guys on our team."