The new year will bring a bit of a present to the 3-1 ISU women’s swimming team.

The team will embark on their annual winter training trip January 3-11. Fort Lauderdale, Fla. will be their destination.

After arriving the team will train for four hours a day in preparation for the rest of its season leading up to the Big 12 Championships Feb. 20-23.

Head coach Duane Sorenson believes a new training environment will be good for the 24 swimmers.

“We will train at the Pine Crest Prep School. They have two outdoor pools, one that is 50 meters, which is twice as long as Beyer and they also have a 25-meter pool. The bigger pool allows us to get more long course training and will help us develop more endurance.”

“It will be hard the whole week. It will be intense. I am looking forward to it a lot,” Senior Becca Meyer said. “It will take us out of a normal everyday practice. We will be in the best shape of the year after it is over.”

Sophomore Melissa Jensen said the change in scenery should help the team.

“We will practice from 10-12 [a.m.] and [6-8 p.m.] along with weights and meals. We won’t have a lot of time, but I am sure we will make it to the beach. Coming from Australia, the warm weather down there is the closest thing to going home,” she said

Diver Linda Wagner went down to Florida with the team last year. This year, Wagner will travel to Bloomington, Ind., with the six other divers.

“In the past, Florida has been cold this time of year. This year we are moving to Indiana,” Wagner said. “We will train for the 1-meter, 3-meter and platform events. Diving requires a lot of repetitions and that is what we will do. We will use trampolines and a dry board to learn some new dives.”

The trip will also serve another purpose. The team plans on having a good time and looks to build some unity.

“The big thing is that the girls hang out and do some fun things,” Sorenson said.

Meyer said the team is looking forward to the little down time they’ll get on the trip.