Feb. 18, 2010

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The Wisconsin women's swimming and diving team asserted itself as a dominant force in the sprints on the second day of the 2010 Big Ten Championships, grabbing conference titles in the 50-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle relay.

Sophomore Beckie Thompson had a hand in both championships, leading off the Badgers' winning effort in the 200 free relay before successfully defending her title in the 50 free at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center.

The victories - which also give the Badgers wins in three of the six swimming events contested so far - have Wisconsin fifth in the team standings, at 150.5 points, after seven events.

Minnesota leads the way with 204.5 points, followed by Michigan at 195.5.

The Badgers opened the second night of the conference meet the same way they opened things Wednesday, by scoring a relay win.

The quartet of sophomore Thompson, junior Maggie Meyer, junior Kelsey Gergen and freshman Ruby Martin claimed the win in 1:28.97.

The mark is the second-fastest time in school history and temporarily propelled the Badgers into an early lead in the team standings.

Thompson started things off with a 23.40 split, which Meyer followed with a blazing 50-yard leg of 20.81 to stake the Badgers the lead at the race's halfway point. Gergen split 22.41 and Martin brought the effort home in 22.35 to ensure the Badgers never trailed again.

"Coming in as a freshman and knowing how good our team is and knowing that I could be a part of it is so exciting," said Martin, who won her first Big Ten title. "Swimming with some of the best swimmers in the country is really rewarding."

The race has the Badgers ranked second nationally, although the Atlantic Coast Conference had yet to contest the 200 free relay as part of its championship meet Wednesday.

The performance also marks the first time in which the Badgers have swept the championships in the 200 free and 200 medley relays in the same season. Wisconsin last claimed the 200 free relay title in 2008, while Wednesday night's win in the 200 medley relay gave UW consecutive titles in that event.

Thompson made it back-to-back championships in the 50 free, as well, swimming a season-best 22.23 to touch ahead of Purdue's Ariel Martin, who finished second in 22.50. Thompson's time ranks as the No. 3 time in the country this season.

Meyer wasn't far back in fourth place, clocking a time of 22.58.

"It's very rewarding," Thompson said. "I worked so hard and I worked all year long for this, and getting into the race and being the defending champion for 50 freestyle just really means a lot to me.

"It means a lot to represent Wisconsin."

For Thompson, the titles marked the fourth and fifth of her career, while Meyer scored her fourth crown, Gergen picked up her third and Martin claimed her first-ever Big Ten championship.

Also Thursday, senior Gabby Maddalena took seventh in the consolation final of the 500-yard freestyle, clocking in at 4:48.79.

Sophomore Danielle Beckwith won the "C" final of the 500 free with a personal-best time of 4:48.25.

In the consolation final of the 200 individual medley, senior Candice Peak was second after backstroke leg but finished eighth in 2:03.47 to add a point to the Badgers' tally.

The Badgers did not advance a diver to the finals of the 1-meter competition, with freshman Roxanne Fitter's score of 247.80 and 18th-place finish leading the way.

The Badgers continue competition on Friday at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center, with prelims in the 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back and 3-meter diving getting underway at 10 a.m. Finals, including the 400-yard medley relay, begin at 5:30 p.m.