The Washington State Cougar swimming team is back in action once again as the swimmers take on UCLA in their first dual meet at 5 p.m. in the Gibb Pool.

The Cougars have been out of the water for more than a month, but they will not let the inharmonious play affect their performance. The last time the team competed was at the Hawkeye Invitational in Iowa City, Iowa, where they took sixth place.

The relay team of senior Emma Johansson, junior Alison Mand, freshman Haley Rose Love, and senior Anne Kenney recorded a time of 1:31.66 in the 200 free and placed second, which broke the previous school record by three-tenths of a second. Washington State scored 387.5 points at the Hawkeye Invitational and finished up with a 2-3 record in dual meets this season.

“We try to take a professional approach, we look at the whole entire season, and we know what we’re supposed to do each day,” WSU Head Coach Tom Jager said. “We know what our overall goal is, but it’s more of where you want to be.”

The team will once again employ the leadership of seniors Johansson, Kenney, Taylor Indahl, Heather Morlan, and Kelly Tannhauser to bring back a positive record.

Johansson comes back from a successful 2012-2013 campaign placing in the top three on the Cougar all-time lists in the 50 free, 100 back, and 100 butterfly.

“It’s about the success of my athletes, I know that’s a cliché, but I’ve done it and don’t need to run around the block anymore, I’ve had success,” Jager said. “I’m actually believing that I’m living a really cool dream and I’d like to share that opportunity with my athletes.”

On the other end of the dual is a UCLA squad led by Head Coach Cyndi Gallagher. The Bruins are 5-1 in dual meets thus far in the 2013-2014 season, including wins over conference opponents Oregon State and Arizona State and a loss to Arizona.

 “It would be a huge upset in the swimming world if we beat UCLA, but I’m not expecting that,” Jager said. “I’m expecting my athletes to be great, great as they can be, and that’s why they play the game.”

Ready for another spring season and looking to attain a .500 record in dual meets, the Cougars are set to begin competition. Friday’s competition will include 11 events with two relays, and Saturday’s meet will consist of 12 events and one relay.

“I’ve had teams in the past that I’ve coached that would shy away from this and would be worried about it and would fret about it, but this team has not,” Jager said. “They’re excited about it, they can’t wait to race.”