For ISU senior swimmer Sam Dyshaw, competing in the NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championship is all business.

This is the second time she has participated in the event in as many seasons. Dyshaw said most of the shock will be gone this year, and she can focus on the competition.

“This year is almost more of a relief getting in, so it’s kind of more relaxed,” Dyshaw said. “After getting in last year, I knew I had the potential to do it again, and I just kind of proved it to myself.”

Head coach Duane Sorenson said Dyshaw has an advantage in having competed last year.

“This is Sam’s second time, so she knows how the meet is going to be run,” Sorenson said. “She’s still going to be nervous, but there’s not that ‘Wow’ factor because she went through that last year.”

Sorenson said this year, the championships will be in a short -course meet form, where the pool is in meters, not yards.

“It’s going to be a little longer than a yard pool,” Sorenson said. “That’s going to make the times a little slower. It’s hard to compare everyone’s times in yards versus meters, so it’s hard to say how it will affect them.”

Dyshaw said although the measuring is different, she still likes the pool.

“I’ve swam in this pool before, and I like it, it’s a fast pool,” Dyshaw said. “Plus, now I’m not coming in wide-eyed and naive like I did last year. I’ve got some experience here.”

Dyshaw will be competing in three events — the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly. Sorenson said he feels Dyshaw’s best chance is in the 50 freestyle, although she’s been preparing for all events.

“At practice we’re just fine-tuning her stroke technique and her starts and turns,” Sorenson said. “Right now, it’s good because her fitness and condition level is at its peak.”

Dyshaw said she is going into this meet with the same preparation as any other meet.

“I’ve just got to prepare myself mentally for this, and I’ll be fine,” Dyshaw said.

Dyshaw’s swimming career will not end after the NCAA championships. The Sunday after the tournament, Dyshaw will be traveling back to Texas.

“The weekend after [the NCAA Championships] there will be time trials for the Olympics, so I’m going to be trying to do that, and hopefully I’ll do well,” Dyshaw said.

Dyshaw’s teammate, senior Petra Plaminkova, will also be attempting to qualify for the Olympics when she tries out for the Czech Republic Olympic team in July. The 2004 NCAA Division I Swimming & Diving Championships will be hosted by Texas A&M on March 18-20 in College Station, Texas.