Badgers to open Big Ten slate against Hawkeyes
October 15, 2009 | Women's Swimming & Diving
Oct. 15, 2009
Men's Meet Notes 
| Women's Meet Notes
MADISON, Wis. -- It’s Homecoming weekend for the University of Wisconsin, and the football team isn’t the only squad looking to defeat the Hawkeyes.
The Wisconsin men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams will host their second-consecutive home meet Friday, opening Big Ten Conference competition against border rival Iowa.
Last week, both the Badgers and the Hawkeyes handily trounced their opponents, but the competition will be fierce as the conference season gets underway at the Natatorium.
Iowa (1-0, 0-0) vs. Wisconsin (1-0, 0-0)
Date: Friday, Oct. 16
Time: 3 p.m. (diving); 5 p.m. (swimming)
Location: Madison, Wis.
Site: UW Natatorium
Admission: Free
Online: Complete results
Women’s Preview
The UW women’s team defeated the Hawkeyes on Iowa’s turf last year, winning all but one event on the way to a 206-92 win, and they will look to do the same this year after impressive performances last week to open the season.
Junior Maggie Meyer swam an NCAA consideration time of 55.60 in the 100-yard backstroke, claiming the win in that event, as well as the 200 individual medley and the 200 medley relay along with freshmen Paulina Gralow and Laura Miller and senior Rosie Morahan.
Sophomore Danielle Beckwith won the 1,000 free with a time of 10:13.25, Senior Gabby Maddalena was close behind in taking third place, and she also won the 500 free.
Anna Chang took first in the 100 butterfly, followed by teammate Karlyn Hougan, who was a quarter of a second behind Chang.
In all, the women won nine of 10 swimming events and claimed a victory in the 1-meter diving competition.
Head coach Eric Hansen holds a record of 48-3 in Big Ten conference women’s dual meets, having never lost to the Hawkeyes in his 10 seasons at Wisconsin.
Men’s Preview
Despite a narrow loss to the Hawkeyes in last year’s meeting, the men’s squad looks to Caleb Percevecz to get the team off to a good start in diving events. Last week against Milwaukee, the junior toppled the only school diving record he didn’t already own. He smashed UW’s 28-year-old record in 3-meter diving with a score of 381.08, easily surpassing the previous mark Chris Chelich set in 1981 with a score of 366.25.
The Badgers’ transfer from Ohio State, junior Chuck Allison, helped his 200-yard medley relay team take the top spot with a time of 1:35.33, combining with Derrick O’Donnell, Dan Koenig and Chris Nemeth for the win.
Last year at the Big Ten Championships, O’Donnell’s 200 medley relay team took seventh with a time of 1:27.43, so there is still work to be done.
Other newcomers, including freshmen Marcus Guttman and Michael Weiss, had great opening performances in the 1,000 and 500 free, respectively. Guttman was right behind teammate Kyle Thompson in 1,000 free while Wiess took second to teammate Brett Nagle, who won the 500 free.
Lindsey LaBelle
Athletic Communications
