Coach Bruce Marchionda said he learned a lot about the makeup of his team when the coaching staff first proposed a season-opening dual meet in Atlanta for this weekend.

The meet would allow the men’s and women’s squads to take on premier Atlantic Coast Conference opponents Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Miami, but there was a catch.

Preparation for the trip would require much more intense training than the swimmers were used to at this point in the preseason, so Marchionda left the decision up to the team.

The Toppers and Lady Toppers were unanimously in favor of the trip, he said.

“I think that shows the mentality of this group,” Marchionda said.  “They may not win absolutely every meet, but they are not going to back down from the best competition.”

The Toppers haven’t won a conference title since 2007, finishing third last season, and senior Sean Penhale said that’s a streak the men plan on breaking.

“For my class, it’s kind of a huge deal to get back there,” Penhale said.  “At the same time, everyone on our team has to be willing to do whatever it takes, and we all have to push each other to get things done.”

Marchionda said that both teams will benefit from good recruiting classes, and the men have a solid balance of youth and veterans.

“The upperclassmen are stepping forward and being great leaders,” he said.  “You couple that with a very large, talented set of freshmen, and it’s a good blend.”

The Lady Toppers have won two straight conference championships, but junior Claire Donahue said the team won’t take anything for granted this season.

“Two years ago, Florida Atlantic was supposed to beat us, and last year Denver was the favorite,” Donahue said.  “I think it’s a good thing we have that competition, because that keeps pushing us.”

Marchionda said it will be difficult to tell how the women will handle high expectations until they compete this weekend in a “hostile environment,” but they all have something to prove.

“They’re very determined to gain some respect and let everyone know that last year’s victory wasn’t a fluke,” he said.

Penhale and Donahue bolstered their respective squads last season, and Marchionda said they will be asked to fill major leadership roles this year.

Penhale set program records in the 500-meter, 1,000-meter and 1,650-meter freestyle last season, while Donahue holds Western records in the 100-meter and 200-meter butterfly.

But Marchionda said there will be no Sun Belt titles without a strong supporting cast.

“We’ve won all of our championships because of the depth factor, not because of a handful of superstars,” Marchionda said.  “We’ve won because our bottom half was better than everyone else’s bottom half.”

This weekend will be the first time that Marchionda has coached against Clemson since leaving his head coaching position there eight years ago.

While the coach said competing against his former team adds some “extra incentive,” Donahue said the swimmers don’t have any problem getting pumped up for teams of such a high caliber.

“It’s kind of intimidating in a way,” she said.  “But once you get into the whole atmosphere of it and the whole team is cheering, you definitely start feeling like you have a chance to win.”

Check the Herald sports blog at www.chhtoppertalk.wordpress.com for updates on the team’s performance after Saturday’s meet.