The Pomona-Pitzer women’s swim team is a force to be reckoned with. Fueled by the awesome boost of Gatorlode, these women swim not only to win, but also to impress. What is Gatorlode, you ask? It sounds like Gatorade and comes in a container similar to powder-form Gatorade, complete with the characteristic lightning bolt that symbolizes super energy. But the "lode" at the end of the product’s name makes all the difference. Three servings of this amazing liquid provides as many carbohydrates as two servings of pasta (linguini or rigatoni, red or white sauce, it doesn’t matter), one medium potato, and four slices of whole grain wheat bread- the kind that’s so dense you can feel it sitting like a brick in your stomach. But are three servings enough? No, say the fearsome Hens, these carbo-loading chicks drink not three, not four, but five massive servings a day. This power drink quickly replenishes the glycogen in the swimmers’ bodies that gets used up during races. This allows the swimmers to recover and stay strong for all days of competition.

Andrew Nuibe A Pomona-Pitzer butterflier rises out of the water during the Sagehens victory over Redlands.

Gatorlode is particularly important at this time in the season, as the Hens face the upcoming SCIAC championship on February 15-17.

"SCIAC should be an exciting meet. We are going in neck and neck with CMS and Redlands, but we’re going to win anyway," said Lucia Schmit ‘03.

Before looking ahead to SCIAC, however, the Hens took care of things at home. They faced off against the University of LaVerne on February 3 and came away with a 162-77 win. Although the women went into the meet missing key point-scorer Christin Parker ’02, strong showings all around ensured the win.

The Hens began strong by sweeping the 1000y freestyle. Ashley Eastman ’01 took first place, followed by Margo Middaugh ’01 and Janetta Iwanicki ’03, who took second and third, respectively. Sarah Kalhorn ’04 followed up these wins by dominating the 200y freestyle. The 50y freestyle came next showcasing the first-place performance of Elizabeth Widmar ’03. Lucia Schmit ’03, Kate Bollinger ’01, and Lizzy Davis ’04, all placed in the 400y Individual Medley, with Schmit taking first, Bollinger second, and Davis third. The women continued their reign over LaVerne with the first place finish of the 800y freestyle relay team made up of Schmit, Davis, Bollinger, and Kalhorn.

In addition to the big SCIAC championship in Cerritos next weekend, the Hens are looking forward to NCAA division III Nationals that will be on March 8-10. Schmit and Bollinger have already qualified for Nationals in the 400y IM, and Parker has already qualified in the 200y freestyle. Many of the swimmers hope to make qualifying times at the SCIAC championship.