Photo by: David Stluka
Four Badgers named CollegeSwimming.com Preseason All-Americans
September 12, 2016 | Men's Swimming & Diving
Kinney, Nelson, Runge and Hutchins recognized among nation’s best
MADISON, Wis. – Four of the best swimmers in the country are Badgers. That's according to CollegeSwimming.com, which named its 2016-17 Preseason All-America selections on Monday.
Three members of the Wisconsin women's swimming team were recognized in Chase Kinney (50 freestyle), Beata Nelson (100 butterfly) and Cierra Runge (200, 500, 1650 freestyle); on the men's side Matt Hutchins (500, 1650 freestyle) garnered recognition.
Runge is one of seven female Olympic gold medalists named to CollegeSwimming.com's preseason All-America team after she won gold in her first-ever Olympics this summer as a member of the United States 800-meter freestyle relay team. Runge will compete as a redshirt sophomore for Wisconsin this season after she transferred from Cal. Runge set the NCAA record in the 500-yard freestyle and also was a member of Cal's NCAA- and American-record breaking 800-yard freestyle relay team. The Cochranville, Pennsylvania, native finished runner-up in both the 500- and 1650-yard freestyle events at the 2015 NCAA Championships.
A 12-time Wisconsin state champion and holder of three high school state records (100 back, 100 fly, 200 free), Nelson joins the Badgers as arguably the top recruit in the country. Nelson's time of 51.62 seconds in the 100-yard butterfly at this year's Wisconsin state meet reset her previous U.S. public high school national record. A five-event Olympic Trials qualifier, she also owns the national age group record in the 100-yard butterfly at 51.08 seconds. Nelson was a member of the USA Junior National Team and competed with Madison Aquatic Club.
A four-time honorable mention All-American, Kinney set a pair of career-best times at the 2016 NCAA Championships with a 10th-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle, a 14th-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle, while also helping UW to ninth place in the 200-yard freestyle relay and 13th place in the 200-yard medley relay. At last season's Big Ten championships, Kinney was runner-up in the 50-yard freestyle with a career-best time of 22.19 seconds and placed sixth in the 100-yard freestyle. Kinney is a member of the school-record relay teams for the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays.
Hutchins enters his final season at Wisconsin coming off an illustrious junior campaign, highlighted by competing in his first Olympics for New Zealand and being named Big Ten Swimmer of the Year – the first in school history. At the 2016 NCAA Championships, Hutchins earned top-six finishes in two individual events with school-record times, finishing third in the 1650-yard freestyle (14:33.09) and sixth in the 500-yard freestyle (4:13.36).Â
At the Big Ten championships last season, Hutchins earned a trio of top-three finishes, placing runner-up in both the 500- and 1650-yard freestyle events, while also contributing to UW's third-place finish in the 800-yard freestyle relay. Hutchins won a Big Ten title in the 500-yard freestyle in 2015.
Wisconsin begins the 2016-17 season hosting national power Auburn on Oct. 8 at the UW Natatorium in Madison. Diving is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. (CT) and swimming will get underway at 11 a.m.
Three members of the Wisconsin women's swimming team were recognized in Chase Kinney (50 freestyle), Beata Nelson (100 butterfly) and Cierra Runge (200, 500, 1650 freestyle); on the men's side Matt Hutchins (500, 1650 freestyle) garnered recognition.
Runge is one of seven female Olympic gold medalists named to CollegeSwimming.com's preseason All-America team after she won gold in her first-ever Olympics this summer as a member of the United States 800-meter freestyle relay team. Runge will compete as a redshirt sophomore for Wisconsin this season after she transferred from Cal. Runge set the NCAA record in the 500-yard freestyle and also was a member of Cal's NCAA- and American-record breaking 800-yard freestyle relay team. The Cochranville, Pennsylvania, native finished runner-up in both the 500- and 1650-yard freestyle events at the 2015 NCAA Championships.
A 12-time Wisconsin state champion and holder of three high school state records (100 back, 100 fly, 200 free), Nelson joins the Badgers as arguably the top recruit in the country. Nelson's time of 51.62 seconds in the 100-yard butterfly at this year's Wisconsin state meet reset her previous U.S. public high school national record. A five-event Olympic Trials qualifier, she also owns the national age group record in the 100-yard butterfly at 51.08 seconds. Nelson was a member of the USA Junior National Team and competed with Madison Aquatic Club.
A four-time honorable mention All-American, Kinney set a pair of career-best times at the 2016 NCAA Championships with a 10th-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle, a 14th-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle, while also helping UW to ninth place in the 200-yard freestyle relay and 13th place in the 200-yard medley relay. At last season's Big Ten championships, Kinney was runner-up in the 50-yard freestyle with a career-best time of 22.19 seconds and placed sixth in the 100-yard freestyle. Kinney is a member of the school-record relay teams for the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays.
Hutchins enters his final season at Wisconsin coming off an illustrious junior campaign, highlighted by competing in his first Olympics for New Zealand and being named Big Ten Swimmer of the Year – the first in school history. At the 2016 NCAA Championships, Hutchins earned top-six finishes in two individual events with school-record times, finishing third in the 1650-yard freestyle (14:33.09) and sixth in the 500-yard freestyle (4:13.36).Â
At the Big Ten championships last season, Hutchins earned a trio of top-three finishes, placing runner-up in both the 500- and 1650-yard freestyle events, while also contributing to UW's third-place finish in the 800-yard freestyle relay. Hutchins won a Big Ten title in the 500-yard freestyle in 2015.
Wisconsin begins the 2016-17 season hosting national power Auburn on Oct. 8 at the UW Natatorium in Madison. Diving is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. (CT) and swimming will get underway at 11 a.m.
Players Mentioned
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