By the Pool with Meghan Thiel

Nov. 2, 2005

WASHINGTON - Two meets into the swimming and diving season, sophomore Meghan Thiel has shown that there'll be no slump this year as she's wasted little time showing her 2004 Co-Swimmer of the Meet form. The Arlington, Va. native has gone undefeated in freestyle races and been a part of two winning relays through two meets this season. Last year, Thiel rewrote AU's record books, setting the 200, 500, 1000 and 1650 free marks. At the Patriot League meet, the freshman won the 200, 500, and 1650 free, setting new PL records in the latter two and winning Rookie of the Meet as well as the aforementioned Co-Swimmer of Meet award. AUEagles.com got a chance to chat with sophomore sensation and ask her a few questions about life, AU, training and head coach Mark Davin. Here's what she had to say.

AUEagles.com: How did you make your decision to come to AU?
Meghan Thiel: AU fits me like a glove. I'm majoring in Language and Area Studies and soon to be Secondary Education, education wise this seemed like a great choice. It is an amazing school, with so many international students and different ideas are all over the place. Location is also key. I grew up in Arlington Va, so not too far, but I love DC. It's not that I wanted to stay close to home, but why mess with something that you like? The team is also another huge factor. I love them.

AUEagles.com: How did the team help you adjust last year?
MT: We do everything together. The captains and frankly, any team member is going to be there for each other in any way they can. The structure of the team makes it really easy to adjust to life at AU. I also like to think that water is the same everywhere. There is consistency in knowing that the water always feels the same no matter what pool you happen to be swimming in, or who you are swimming with.

AUEagles.com: What sacrifices have you had to make in terms of regular college life that other student-athletes might not have to make?
MT: I'd rather not think that there are differences among the student-athletes. We all are committed and therefore suffer the same consequences.

AUEagles.com: Which teammates have had the most influence on you?
MT: Every last one of them has helped, that is why they are teammates. Somebody is having a good day and calls you out on a set, we'll answer that call. If someone is having a not so hot day, then we all feel it too, and we do our best to get that person going again. Each one of them is there because they have something to contribute, and each one of them I view as a training partner. They help me, and I can only hope that I help them just as much. We suffer together, we prevail together.

AUEagles.com: What does a typical day of training consist of (practices, yards swam...lifting...etc.)?
MT: For our practices, it really depends on what day of the week it is. Our coach has a phenomenal program for us. He'll typically split us into groups based on what events we swim. For the sprinters, they need shorter more explosive work at the anaerobic level. The distance swimmers get to pound out the yardage, usually Tuesday and Thursday mornings are when we have our specific practice. There are also days for strokes. Coach gives us the opportunity to work at every aspect though, so it is always different. My personal favorite would have to be Saturday mornings. When we don't have meets, these are our lactate mornings. Practice lasts somewhere around four hours including extensive stretching and hard core lifting. The swimming is comparable to a meet. We have a specific set, and we dive from the blocks at race pace, and Coach records our times. It's awesome stuff at the end of the week when you're broken down and tired. I love it.

AUEagles.com: What has Coach Davin taught you and how has he (and your teammates) played a role in your development?
MT: Coach is amazing. He is so underappreciated. He bends over backwards to make our program as individualistic as possible. He takes it personally if someone doesn't do what they are capable of. Every athlete at AU who knows him, will tell you how great a guy he is. He has so much experience and has not lost his passion for coaching in the least. One of his quotes is always: "You all are bright, so use your mind to outdo your competition." This refers to technique, stroke mechanics, race strategies and our weight program.

AUEagles.com: Who's your idol in sports?
MT: My idol would have to be Tom Dolan. I actually had the pleasure of swimming with him on my club team before college for two years. He is the former world record holder in the 400IM, which Michael Phelps broke. He never quit. He always was ready for a race, and was just amazing to watch and be around. You knew he was something special just by looking at him. The fierce work ethic he had and determination is something I have tried to replicate in my own way.

AUEagles.com: What is your pre-meet ritual?
MT: I don't have one actually. I just go with the flow of things. I figure if you think you need to have a ritual of some kind you'll end up limiting yourself. The only ritual you need is hard work and consistency. Plus let's say someone has a ritual where they listen to their favorite song on their CD player or something. What happens if it breaks? You'll spend mental energy on how you wish you could be listening to that song, or needing to do something.

AUEagles.com: What do you consider as your finest racing day in the pool?
MT: My finest racing day would have to have been when I swam the 400 meter freestyle in Luxemburg at the annual Euro Championship Meet in 2004 during my year off from school. I'm never satisfied when I've finished a race, there's always something to fix (if there wasn't then that would be the time to hang up the suit). I had never been in the shape that I was, and it seemed like all the hard work finally really did pay off. My start was slow, my turn on the sixth 50 meter was off, and I wasn't rotating enough - there's always something to work on.

AUEagles.com: At the end of the year you'll be happy if .... ?
MT: I have as much fun this year as I did last year.

[Editor's note: Thiel and the Eagles' squad return to the pool this weekend at the Bucknell Sprint Invitational.]