After a few days off for the holidays, the ISU swimming and diving team started out the new year with a trip down to Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, for winter training. 

“Every four years we go some place exotic and this year we trained at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez,” said coach Duane Sorenson.

While the Cyclones were there training, they were also enjoying themselves with the free time they had.

“We had 12 practices down there and an ocean swim,” Sorenson said. “While being down there, it was also a great experience to see a different culture and train at a different place.”

Some of the activities the team did in Mayaguez were special because there are not many places to do the them, and Iowa isn’t a place where it’s possible to experience them.

One activity the team took part in that can’t be experienced in Iowa was a scuba diving trip to a reef to see exotic fish.

“I was able to see a sea turtle and some of the kids even saw a barracuda and a stingray, so that was a lot of fun and a great experience,” Sorenson said.

Other activities included surfing, jet-skiing and parasailing between practices.

After a scrimmage with Rutgers and experiencing a different culture for a week, it was time to come back to Ames and finish the season out strong. 

The Cyclones’ next meet is at 6 p.m. Friday in Champagne-Urbana, Ill.

The next home meet will be a week from then at 6 p.m. Jan. 25, where Iowa State will face Nebraska-Omaha.