The women’s swimming & diving team is feeding off the energy from the men’s record-breaking meet last week to prepare for the upcoming Mountain West Swimming & Diving Championship, head coach Richard Sybesma said.

Sybesma said it is one of the best times to be part of the team because of the phenomenal previous season. Last year at the MWC Championship, the university’s swimming & diving teams broke 24 school records, he said.

The women’s team is ranked fifth in the MWC and will compete against seven other teams Feb. 22-25 in Oklahoma City.

The men’s squad placed second and broke 10 school records at the Conference USA Invitational, he said.

The women are excited to compete after seeing the men perform in one of TCU’s best meets, Sybesma said. They are in great spirits right now, and he said he is looking forward to major accomplishments this weekend.

The team has three main goals, he said. The women are hoping to place in the top three teams, qualify athletes for the NCAA Championship and beat school records.

Sybesma compared the momentum of the team to a train: Once everyone gets on the track and on a roll, the team will stay on it for three days until the end of the championship, he said.

“We are looking toward Wednesday night, the first couple of relay events, to start the train rolling down the track,” Sybesma said.

Based on how they have practiced, the women are on track to beat more school and personal records, he said.

Junior Parris Schoppa said the team looked prepared during the pre-meet day, and are ready to rise to the occasion.

Big meets and crowds, like at the MWC Championship, hype her up and allow her to focus even more, Schoppa said.

The Oklahoma City native said she is motivated because she is returning to the same pool she competed in for high school. She also said the success of the men’s team motivated the women more than anything.

Schoppa said she thrives best under pressure, which is why she is the last swimmer in the relay events she competes in.

“I am the last one,” Schoppa said. “You either win it or you lose it.”