Winning the Missouri Valley Conference Championships and each dual meet has been the goal for the SIUC swimming and diving teams throughout the season, but the National Independent Championships this week have been the focus since the first day of practice.

SIUC travels to the University of Cincinnati for the National Independent Championships that begin today. The champions will be crowned Saturday.

This is the meet that we have in mind when we plan out our season, women’s coach Mark Kluemper said. The last three weeks have been a final process of getting everybody ready to compete at their very best.

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The Salukis have not competed since Feb. 7, when the men defeated the University of Illinois-Chicago 138-123, ending the season with a 4-5 record. The women won 142-109 over the Flames to end the regular season with a 3-6 mark.

The NIC features 12 of the best teams in the nation including the University of Cincinnati, Illinois State University and Oakland University.

The SIUC men’s team will attempt to claim its third National Independent Championship. The Salukis defeated the University of Cincinnati 602-524 two years ago to claim the crown.

The Salukis suffered a 103-62 loss to the Bearcats in the University of Illinois Dual Meet Extravaganza Nov. 15.

The Salukis believe they are top contenders, along with Cincinnati, Western Kentucky University and Florida Atlantic University for the championship. The three-week break from competition allowed the team to overcome the physical stress of the season.

I think the chances of us winning are very good, men’s coach Rick Walker said. However, we certainly will not be able to walk in there and let things go by. We have to be on in order to win it.

The SIUC women’s team will continue its heated rivalry with the University of Cincinnati. The Salukis claimed the National Independent Championships in 1996 over Cincinnati, but last year, the Salukis fell to the Bearcats for a second-place finish.

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The rivalry continued this season when the Bearcats defeated the Salukis 102-47 in the University of Illinois Dual Meet Extravaganza Nov. 15. The Salukis believe that they can contend for the championship but know that the Bearcats are favorites.

I think Cincinnati is definitely the favorite, Kluemper said. But we are one of about four schools that have a shot of winning if we swim really, really well.

Missouri Valley Conference-rival Illinois State University finished second behind SIUC for the MVC Championship and is considered a contender by Kluemper.

Last year’s Division II National Champions, Oakland University, has moved up into Division I and is considered a possible contender. Florida Atlantic also has a shot, Kluemper said.

If they [Cincinnati] swim at their very best, I don’t think we will beat them, Kluemper said. But if they slip up just a little bit and we do what we are capable of doing, we have a good shot.

This weekend marks the final opportunity for team members to accomplish NCAA qualifying times and scores for the NCAA Championships, which take place the last two weekends of March.

The SIUC men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams compete in the National Independent Championships, which begin today and continue through Saturday in Cincinnati.