Today, the formidable force that is Stanford men’s swimming and diving team begins its hunt for a national title. The Cardinal hit the pool this afternoon to host their first meet of the season against Arizona and Arizona State.

The competition between the No. 2 ranked Cardinal and the fifth-ranked Wildcats is an important launching pad for the rest of Stanford’s season. Arizona, who has failed to beat Stanford since 2001, will fight to defend its undefeated record. The Cardinal, meanwhile, will focus on demonstrating the kind of crushing power that has led them to Pac-10 dominance. Stanford boasts the staggering record of having won every single Pacific 10 Championship since 1982.

So, junior freestyler Ben Wildman-Tobriner is hardly exaggerating when he describes this weekend as, “looking to start the process of finding our championship form.”

After all, this is a team that is skilled at finding its championship form. And Wildman-Tobriner, a world-class swimmer, is sure to emerge as one of the team’s strongest leaders.

Strength, in general, isn’t in short supply among the Cardinal swimmers and divers. Stanford returns a number of seasoned veterans to its program, notably senior swimmers Tobias Oriwol, Michael McLean and Mark Stephens. All three were instrumental in the Cardinal’s second-place NCAA finish last year and look to be solid leaders in the pool this year as well. Divers Nathan Kim, a sophomore, and Kevin McLean, a junior, also have the potential to make great contributions to the team, after promising performances at last year’s Pac-10s.

With so many talented individuals, the key to greatness could be in Stanford’s ability to solidify both its goals and efforts as a team.

“Over the next six weeks our team will mold into a cohesive unit; this is the all-important beginning,” Wildman-Tobriner said.

Head coach Skip Kenney — a three-time Olympic coach, six-time NCAA Coach of the Year and 17-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year — leads this cohesion process from the deck. He has seen Stanford to seven NCAA titles and has placed his team into the nation’s top three 21 times.

As Stanford looks to dominate the competition over the course of the season, the lessons Kenney has taught carry even more importance. In the first race in months, composure is everything.

According to Wildman-Tobriner, “swimming smart, swimming with passion and swimming with focus,” are necessary for a win.

It also might help that Stanford currently boasts what could ultimately prove to be its best junior class in school history. They have set four individual school records (two by Wildman-Tobriner, in the 50-meter free and the 100-meter free) and the team has already broken three team relay records.

But the Cardinal could have more accomplishments by this week’s end. Wildman-Tobriner cites the possibility of racing Wildcat swimmers Lyndon Ferns and Simon Burnett as the most exciting prospect for his weekend.

“These are two of the fastest sprinters in the world, and I always enjoy competing against the best,” Wildman-Tobriner said.

Events begin at the Avery Aquatic Complex today at 1 p.m., as Stanford hosts Arizona. Saturday, the Cardinal take on the No. 23 Sun Devils beginning at noon.