Badgers Ready to Open Season
October 05, 2007 | Men's Swimming & Diving
The main goal for the Badgers this season is to get back into the top 20 at the 2008 NCCA Championships.
'We're looking to come back into the top 20,' said head coach Eric Hansen. 'It's a realistic goal and we've thought and talked about it a great deal during our summer training.'
Wisconsin has five NCAA scorers returning this year and will add a strong core group of freshmen and sophomores to the mix.
Relays
The Badgers look to improve their scoring at the NCAA Championships in these events, particularly in the freestyle relay.
All three freestyle relay teams earned All-American honorable mention awards at the NCCA Championships last year.
Besides Kyle Sorensen, Mike Desautels and Phil Davies, Wisconsin will also seek contributions from Eric Johnson, Scott Rice and Mike Hopkins this season.
'Our relays will be a major factor in our continued progress,' said Hansen.
Freestyle
Juniors Kyle Sorensen and Mike Desautels and sophomore Phil Davies will lead the Badgers in the sprint freestyle. Davies qualified in this event for the Olympic Trials at the ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships in August 2007.
Incoming freshmen Connor Andrews and Fraser Roberts will also compete in the freestyle. Andrews is a two-time state champion in the 50-yard freestyle and the 2006 100-yard freestyle state champion. Mike Hopkins will also provide leadership in the mid-distance freestyle races.
Backstroke
Juniors Mike Hopkins and Nick Fulton will be the anchors of the backstroke events. Hopkins placed seventh at the Big Ten Championships last year and looks to improve his times.
Wisconsin will also look to incoming freshman Jesse Stipek for points in this event.
Breaststroke
This stroke has the greatest depth with four swimmers possibly competing. UW will be led by junior Eric Johnson and sophomore Derrick O'Donnell.
At last year's Big Ten Championships, Johnson placed sixth in the 100-yard breaststroke and eighth in the 200-yard breaststroke. Johnson also competed at the NCAA championships.
Lance Carriaga and Dan Koenig will also compete in this event.
Butterfly
Scott Rice will lead Wisconsin in this event. Rice looks to improve his scoring this season after missing the NCAA scoring by one place by finishing in seventeenth place.
Brett Koerten and incoming freshman Kyle Thompson will also compete in these events. Thompson is a 2008 Olympic Trial qualifier in this stroke.
Individual Medley
This event boasts the leadership of four upperclassmen: Scott Rice, Brett Koerten, Derrick O'Donnell and Ben Bruce.
O'Donnell was the 2005 state champion in the 200-yard IM and Wisconsin sees him as a key contributor this year.
Diving
As with the women's team, second-year diving coach Tom Michael will look to develop a young, talented group of divers on the men's side.
Sophomores Tim Feyereisen, Al Morrison, Dan Smith and Bryan Weinstein all return to the squad that adds incoming freshmen Caleb Percevecz and Louie Schiff.
Michael sees Percevecz as being a strong competitor for the Badgers. 'He was a highly recruited national level diver and he is the caliber of diver we are trying to build this program around,' said Michael.
Wisconsin opens it season on Friday, Oct. 5 against UW-Green Bay in Green Bay, Wis.
