Alex Anderson, who was selected as the Outstanding Male Performer at the 2014 NCAA Division III Championship meet, returns to the University of Mary Washington men's swimming lineup to see if he can add to his Hall of Fame credentials.

Anderson has won three individual gold medals in the last two NCAA Championship meets, including a record-setting performance in the 400 individual medley in 2014.  After leading the Eagles to their 14^th-straight CAC crown, Anderson's two gold medals and a silver at the national championship meet lifted UMW to 17^th place in the team scoring.

So it's no surprise that Mary Washington was the unanimous choice of the CAC swim coaches to win the crown for a 15^th-straight time this year.  The Eagles, who outdistanced second-place St. Mary's by almost 500 points in the 2014 CAC Championship meet, scored the maximum 25 points in the preseason poll (coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team).

The battle for the top spot behind UMW will feature York (19 points), St. Mary's (16 points), Salisbury (14 points), Marymount (11 points) and Frostburg State (five points), according to the coach's pre-season prognostications.

SMC and York have battled for second place for the last six years.  The Seahawks scored 541 points in 2014 to edge the Spartans (535.5) for second place – the third-straight year SMC topped YCP.  York had finished second in the CAC five-straight years (2007-11), including the last three when St. Mary's finished third.

Frostburg State (1-0), Mary Washington (1-1) and Salisbury (0-1) have already opened their dual meet schedules, and all three along with York are in action this weekend (Oct. 24-25).  The teams are gearing up for the annual CAC Championship meet at St. Mary's on Feb. 20-22, 2015.

Here is a brief look at each team heading into the 2014-15 season:

FROSTBURG STATE head coach Justin Anderson returns for his second year at the helm and boasts a roster with a good mix of returning talent and talented newcomers. Junior Jon Shepard qualified for the ECAC Championships in the 200-yard breaststroke a year ago, but he is also strong in the 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard IM. Freshman Christian March should make an immediate impact in the pool as his personal-best time in the 100-yard breaststroke is faster than FSU's school record.

Three-time national champion Alex Anderson returns for his senior season, as MARY WASHINGTON looks for its 15th consecutive CAC championship. A two time CAC Swimmer of the Year, Anderson set a national record in the 400 yard IM, breaking his own national mark, and also took first in the 200 butterfly at last year's NCAA Championship, and also finished second in the 200 IM, gaining NCAA Swimmer of the Championship. He will be joined by returning individual CAC Champions Henry Bassett, Dallas Tarkenton, Tyler Gimple, Sean Mayer, and Zach Eisig.

MARYMOUNT looks to improve on its fifth place finish at last year's finale.  The Saints return All-Capital Athletic Conference performer Collin Chartier, who – as a freshman – broke the team record in the 1,650 freestyle by eight seconds at the conference championships last year – good for a second place individual finish.

ST. MARY'S roster for the 2014-15 season boasts the leadership of senior Bobby Witkop and junior Grant Burgess, who were among the team's top scorers in the 2014 CAC Championship meet. Witkop was fifth in the 200 IM and sixth in the 100 butterfly while Burgess was third in the 1,650 freestyle and fourth in the 500 freestyle, helping the Seahawks claim second place in the team standings for the third-straight year.  Other top returnees include juniors Zach Lilley and Michael Speer and sophomore Matt Walchuck.

SALISBURY starts the year with a strong slate of returners and a skilled group of newcomers. The men are led by sophomore Okan Eyigor, who is coming off a record-breaking season last year and is looking to make a similar impact this year. Junior Will Gough is also returning after breaking school records last year and has potential to do it again. Another strong returner for the men is senior Rich Ambrose. Last year, Ambrose helped set a new record in the 200 freestyle relay alongside junior Jake Blazer, and both returners look to make a big difference this season. The newcomers on the team, including freshmen Stephen Arcidiacono and Andre Lipiec and junior transfer Mallen Figueroa, bring more depth on the men's side and have a chance to make an immediate impact.

YORK enters the third season under head coach Erin Kurtz looking to make significant strides towards a conference championship. The Green and White return all but one swimmer from a third-place finish in 2014 and welcomes eight talented freshman, making this squad one of the deepest in school history. The Spartan returners are headlined by All-American Kyle Walthall, the CAC Co-Swimmer of the Year. Walthall holds the CAC meet and conference in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. Other key returners for York include senior sprinter Shane Bonner, sophomore backstroker Russell Stoll, senior freestyler Cody Latchford and senior sprinter Bryan Hughes.

2014-15 CAC Men's Swimming Pre-Season Coaches Poll
1. Mary Washington (5 first-place votes)                   25 points
2. York                                                                        19 points
3. St. Mary's (1 first-place vote)                                 16 points
4. Salisbury                                                                 14 points
5. Marymount                                                             11 points
6. Frostburg State                                                       5 points