The preseason is traditionally a tough time for swim teams as they prepare for the coming season. As University of Maine coach Jeff Wren calls it, the Black Bears are in their general conditioning phase.

And something pretty neat is happening.

“We started with 40 swimmers and 12 divers, and that’s what we still have six weeks later,” said Wren, who has been involved with the Maine swimming program since 1971 and has been the head coach for both the men and women since the 1990-91 season. “I’m very happy with the way things are going at this point.”

The season for both the Maine men and women opens Sunday as the teams travel to the University of Rhode Island for a meet against the Rams.

The Bears return to Wallace Pool in Orono the following Sunday to host Stony Brook.

Encouraged by his team’s finish in the 2004 America East championships, in which the women placed fifth and the men placed seventh but the teams broke two school records and finished well above their seeds in several events, Wren is eager to see what his Black Bears will accomplish this year.

Although the Bears lost valuable point-scorers and school record-holders Stephanie Smietana and Bangor native Jake Jenzter, the teams return some key swimmers and have one of the largest groups of divers in America East.

On the women’s side, top finishers from last season’s America East championships include junior Brittany Harrington, who led both Black Bear squads with a second-place finish in the 1,650-yard freestyle as well as a sixth in the 500 free and a seventh in the 400 individual medley. Senior Karin Feldman (butterfly and distance freestyle), junior Crystie McGrail (IM and backstroke) and sophomore Tal Shpaizer (IM, butterfly and back) each had three top-16 finishes.

Harpswell native and free-IM specialist Katrine Alcaide, who Wren said spent a year away from the program trying to qualify for the Olympic Trials, has returned to the team.

“We have a nice core coming back there,” Wren said.

As for the men, Wren has seen some big improvements from junior Jason Stevens of Boothbay and senior Zach Grey of Windsor, mid-distance and distance freestyle specialists who both scored at the league championship meet.

“Often on the men’s side you get some folks who may not have had all the training but have some real potential for gains,” Wren said. “We have a dozen of those people. It’s encouraging to see that.”

Sophomore Martin Fitch of Bangor recorded a fifth in the 400 IM, the highest finish for the men. Fitch (free, IM, back) and senior Andy Magiera of Surry (IM, free, fly) each had three top 16- finishes. Senior Scott Forrestall, a second-year captain, scored in the 400 IM and 1,650.

Wren has 12 divers on the roster, which makes for a deep group.

Juniors Chris Rodway of Brewer and Justin Alley of Bangor both placed in the top eight in the 1-meter and 3-meter competitions, while Wren feels freshmen Isaac Forbes of Glenburn and Keith Burgie of Arundel will have an immediate impact.

“They look to be right on a par with our two returning guys,” Wren said.

Top women’s divers include Shannon Scott of Cumberland, who was 15th on both boards last year, and Jessica Pratt of Eddington, who was 12th on the 1-meter board.

Additions to the schedule this year include an invitational at Rhode Island and an exhibition meet at Bowdoin. The 2005 America East championships will be run Feb. 18-20 in Baltimore.

The UMaine teams will again head to Florida for the winter training trip and a meet against Xavier. The Bears do their training at a 50-meter pool in West Palm Beach.

“[The pool] has some interesting aspects to it which makes training in it a little tough,” he said. “It’s got a lot of waves. You know, good resistance, we like to say.”