The No. 4 Arizona women’s swimming team has a case of deja vu.

Last year at this time, the then-No. 7 team entered the 2006 Pacific 10 Conference with two losses from meets against Stanford and California, but beat those same teams to take the Pac-10 title.

The women (8-2, 4-2 Pac-10) will try to defend that title today through Saturday in Long Beach, Calif., hoping to avenge losses to the same two teams.

“”We gotta race with a lot of pride, race like we’re defending Pac-10 champions, and we want to do it again,”” said UA head coach Frank Busch.

But No. 1 Stanford and No. 3 Cal will not give up that easily, as Busch said both teams have improved since last year and that having the opportunity to race them again is “”as good as it gets.””

Perhaps the most significant difference compared to last year is the inexperience, as the team has 17 underclassmen with only three seniors.

Busch said he is not worried about the younger swimmers, saying the freshmen have done a good job of “”following the lead”” of the upperclassmen.

“”There are some nerves there,”” he said.

“”If they swam in this meet before – they’re a sophomore, junior or senior – they know how they swam last year, and then they’ll try to equate that to how they’ll do it in the NCAA (Championships).””

Even though the team is still dragging from the dual meet season and its grueling training period, the women are ready to compete, said junior co-captain Lacey Nymeyer.

“”If we can swim well and swim smart, feeling not so hot, that’s really good and that’s really good for the end of the season,”” she said.

She added that the team is starting to regain some stamina after the transition in its training in preparation for this week.

“”We’ve really been working on doing things right and quick, not so much yardage, pounding out the laps, but more of just focusing on the little things,”” she said.

Busch said he has seen a spark in the swimmers over the past week.

“”Just being around the pool deck, they know that it’s starting to – it’s that time of year – things are changing, and they’re pretty lively, got more life in them.””

The Arizona men and women’s diving teams already made their mark for the Pac-10 Championships last weekend in Seattle.

On the men’s side, redshirt junior Matt Bisordi finished seventh in the 3-meter springboard competition, while teammate freshman Michael Guilfoil placed fifth in the 10m platform event.

For the women, senior Megan McDonald placed in both events, finishing fifth in the 10m platform and eighth in the 1m springboard. Sophomore Allison Scaife posted two eighth-place finishes in the 3m springboard and platform competitions.