Logistical obstacles in UNLV swimmers’ paths to conference crowns

Jim Reitz had just said goodbye to one female swimmer after another following Monday’s early-morning practice.

“It’s starting to hit me,” he said, standing beside the pool at Buchanan Natatorium.

The UNLV coach knew it was the last time he would see those swimmers until they return home from the Mountain West Championships in San Antonio.

Reitz won’t be there. He will be with the 25th-ranked men at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships in Monterey Park, Calif.

Both meets run today through Saturday, causing a logistical headache for Reitz and his staff.

The teams are in separate conferences because the Mountain West dropped men’s swimming two years ago.

“It’s the first time in 33 years our teams are in two different conferences,” Reitz said of the meets. “There are a lot of unintended consequences that are sweeping America with regard to all the conference realignment.”

Reitz was getting over an illness, continually using tissue paper to wipe his nose, but seemed to be more ill about splitting his squads and coaching staff. Assistant head coach Bobby Folan will oversee the women because Reitz believes his young men’s team needs more hands-on attention from the head coach.

But in Folan, Reitz has someone who was a head coach in Australia. Folan coached an academy club team from 2008 through 2010 and the University of Sydney from 2010 to 2012.

“I’ve been to Olympic trials as a head coach; I’ve been to Olympic trials as an assistant coach learning the ropes,” Folan said. “So being able to go to that and being able to manage a team on my own effectively, it’s key to being able to do something like this.”

Reitz and Folan said they worked to make sure details were handled before the teams left for their meets.

But, as Reitz pointed out, the unexpected happens in sports, and that’s what he is most concerned about.

“Executives at Fortune 500 companies don’t get paid for day-to-day business; they get paid for breakdowns,” Reitz said. “A bad swim or a disqualification, that’s the key. Someone doesn’t do what they want early in the meet, you’ve got to get up and do it again, and given 57 swims, there’s bound to be one” that doesn’t meet expectations.

That’s why the two sides will communicate each day.

UNLV’s men are co-favorites with Denver to win the MPSF meet, and the Rebels are expected to finish behind San Diego State and Boise State on the women’s side.

Senior Cody Roberts, ranked fourth nationally in the 100-meter butterfly, said he didn’t anticipate any distractions of wanting to know what’s going on with the women’s team.

He pointed out the conference meets were a week apart last year, so the teams didn’t compete in the same pool at the same time.

UNLV’s men placed second in last year’s MPSF Championships, and the women finished third in the Mountain West meet.

“In theory, (the work) is supposed to be done before we leave, and I think with this team we’ll have it done before we’re leaving,” Roberts said Monday. “Not having (all) the coaches there will be different. But I really think it’s going to be a regular swim meet. It’s just going to a different coach after each race.”

Junior Rachel Dixon, 15th in the 50 freestyle at last year’s NCAA Championships, said she thought the team would be focused.

“We can’t say that that’s our optimum when half of our coaching staff is with another half,” Dixon said. “But I think it will be OK. We’ve known about this for the whole year, so we’ve been kind of preparing for it. So it’s not going to be the best thing, but I think we’re still going to take it in stride.”

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.