Swimmers come up short against Iowa
October 20, 2011 | Women's Swimming & Diving
Oct. 20, 2011
MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin’s swimming and diving teams lost to Iowa in their first Big Ten meet of the season, Thursday at the Natatorium. The women’s team fell 224-74, and the men’s team lost 227.5-66.5.
Wisconsin freshman Ivy Martin claimed the first top finish for a Badger with a time of 23.68 in the women’s 50-yard free. In the second meet of her college career, Martin already improved her time from the first dual. Martin also finished second in the 100 free in 52.42 seconds, only .24 seconds behind first place.
Wisconsin’s men’s A 400 free relay, consisting of Wes Lagerhausen, Jeff Morris, Garrett Mulchrone, and Michael Weiss, placed first with a time of 3:03.37.
Wisconsin kept each race close, coming within a second of first place in many of the events. Badger freshman Julie Calvert placed second in the 100 breast, touching the wall just .22 seconds behind first. Calvert also finished the 200 breast in second place with a time of 2:21.16
Badger sophomore Tariq Miller and junior Dan Lester also fought for the win but came up short. Miller finished the 100 breast in 57.64, a half second behind the leader. Lester finished a mere .13 seconds off the mark, placing second with a time of 49.59. In the 200 fly, Lester placed second .11 seconds behind first place.
With so many close races, assistant coach Shane Whildin was optimistic after the meet.
“There was a lot of improvement.” Whildin said. “A lot of swimmers improved from the first meet and that’s a big deal.”
The women’s team competed without many of their top swimmers and divers, who had already left for the SMU Classic, which is held Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21-22, in Dallas, Texas.
Both teams will meet back at the Natatorium to face Big Ten rival Minnesota on Friday, Oct. 28.
