Matt Lenhart has a daily reminder on the Johnson Natorium wall that it has been five years since the last conference title won by the John Carroll men's swimming and diving team.

While it would be a dream season to place another banner alongside that won by the 2004 Blue Streaks, Lenhart is at least comforted to know that his squad is definitely headed back toward the top of the league.

"We are deeper than we have been in recent years, and some of our health issues are behind us," said Lenhart. "We might be a swimmer or two away from being very good but we very close and that is encouraging in its own right."

With his super rookies Eric Davis and Alex Vereshchagin now one year older, and strong performers back in the fold like senior David Perchinske, junior Max Wilberding (back from a year of studying abroad), and sophomores Melvin Vasquez, Blake Pinchot and Andy Petraska, and Lenhart has a solid nucleus of point scorers from which to build.

Add to that mix divers David Essi and Stanton Kochanek, and Lenhart feels his team might be geared for its best league finish since 2006.

"There are a few places we might not be as strong as we would like to be, but I like the make-up of the team,' said Lenhart. "We have good competitors who will work hard to ensure the success of the team, and as a coach, that's what you want to see,"