CSCAA Open Water Nationals Provide Challenge, Opportunity for College Swimmers
You could feel the energy in Saratosa, Florida, radiating from every square foot of water. Athletes lined up, eager to compete for their school. Coaches stood around, anxiously awaiting their swimmers’ performances. A host of parents and fans stood behind them, ready to support their respective squads. It was a typical Saturday in December, representative of any collegiate meet. And yet, one key factor stood out, making all the difference: there were no starting blocks, and no pool.
The 2025 CSCAA Open Water Nationals took place on December 13, the largest collegiate open water competition in the country. Athletes from 45 schools competed, representing all three NCAA divisions and the NAIA. It’s an incredibly unique opportunity for the student-athletes who participate.
“There are very little open water opportunities in the midst of the college swim season,” said Ella Dyson, a senior at Rice who finished second.
The event presented its share of challenges. But both in and out of the pool, it was viewed as an opportunity to grow.
“It was really nice to just have a different opportunity to swim,” Dyson said.
Training To Take on the Ocean
The official college swim season generally lasts a grueling six months, one of the longest in the NCAA. That’s not including, however, the training in the pre- and postseason, which can make the sport seem never-ending for its athletes. It’s part of why the swimmers pointed to the open water competition, and the training for it, as a nice break from the grind of the collegiate season.
“You go in with a fresh mindset from your pool season,” said Villanova swimmer Marlene Blanke, who finished third at the competition. “Open water is a completely different field, with completely different things to focus on.”
The competition being so different, however, isn’t necessarily all positive. The ocean creates plenty more variables to account for, in comparison to a pool race. Different programs attacked these challenges in different ways, looking to best prepare their swimmers.
Blanke explained that the coaching staff at Villanova specifically looked to prepare her, as well as the other Wildcat open water swimmers, for the potential difficult circumstances.
“They would get a water hose out and spray us (while we were swimming), and (use) big fans to imitate that the weather could change,” Blanke said. “They would even throw resistance socks in to replicate seaweed.”
The swimmer viewed these fake “obstacles” as beneficial toward the race itself.
“It really puts you in a fresh mindset,” Blanke said. “It was definitely impactful toward my performance.”
Not every team attacked the race in this way, though. Some teams simply prioritized additional aerobic training, in order to handle the longer competition.
“We were just doing a lot of distance freestyle, working on building up a good aerobic base,” Dyson said.
The swimmers explained that they didn’t feel the different training set them back for their college season.
“(The training) has just given me a better aerobic base for the pool,” Dyson said. “It’ll allow me to work on speed as the season continues.”
Shifts in Stroke
The length and variability of the race certainly impacted how the swimmers trained for it, in comparison to a pool race. But this wasn’t the only factor swimmers had to adjust for in the race. The differences from a traditional pool race had the potential to affect some of the swimmers’ strokes, as they looked to handle the longer competition.
For Boston College freshman Matt Cinque, who finished third in the race, a change in kick was needed to handle the race’s length. Cinque switched from his traditional six-beat kick to a four-beat kick, in order to save his legs for the end of the competition.
“The strategy was to start out with a focus on pulling, and then incorporate the kick later,” Cinque said.
Another stroke difference which was pointed out was the need for physicality in open water races. Blanke pointed to the battle for positioning as a key difference in the race compared to the pool
“Open water is a very physical sport, and you have to fight for your positions,” Blanke said.
However, she emphasized that Villanova took a team-oriented approach, leading to them sometimes slowing down to help their teammates.
“I’m usually trying to get out of the way (of my teammates), and trying not to be quite as physical,” she said.
These factors add to the complexity of training for open water during the pool season. But as a whole, the swimmers believed the race was beneficial toward their stroke.
“I was able to find a consistent rhythm in my stroke,” Dyson said. “It’s something I’ll look to carry throughout the rest of the season.”
For Blanke, it was less the racing itself that was beneficial to her stroke, but the swimwear worn. The swimmer pointed to the full-length open water suit, and her feel within it, as helpful toward her pool stroke.
“Wearing the suit helped boost my position in the water, which helped a lot,” she said. “It’s helped me think about how to hold that same position in the water, even in a normal suit.”
Managing the Mind
As swimmers compete for almost four times longer than the typical pool swim, the mental toll of an open water race can also be a serious obstacle.
“It’s a big difference from anything in swimming, even a mile,” Dyson said.
Some swimmers utilize different strategies to get them through the race. Dyson explained that she looks to break down the race into chunks, in order to make it seem more manageable.
“It helps me take it one lap at a time, and just build through it,” she said.
Blanke, on the other hand, pointed to the mental challenges the race provides as simply great preparation for the pool.
“It just gives me great confidence that I have the aerobic capabilities,” Blanke said. “It’s really going to help with those races in the pool.”
A Unique Gathering
The race was a major test for the athletes inside of the water. But outside of the water, the race’s competitors found great enjoyment in the unique atmosphere, especially in comparison to collegiate dual meets and competitions.
For Mevlut Efe Guler, a freshman at Division II Lynn University who won the men’s competition, the event’s ability to bring together swimmers from all three divisions was special.
“It was great to be around all these big colleges, and to compete with those people,” Efe Guler said. “(The event) was different, as I wasn’t really familiar with a lot of the other swimmers.”
Cinque admitted that he hopes the event continues to grow, bringing more Division I swimmers in the fold.
“There were a lot of different swimmers with different backgrounds, and it would be cool to bring more high-level division one programs in there,” he said.
Overall, it was a gathering that the athletes viewed as well-worth their time, as they carry on their respective seasons.
“It’s important to remember that fun is a big part of swimming,” Cinque said. “And the opportunity to race in a different format, at a very high level, was incredibly fun.”