MADISON, Wis. – Following its home opener against Georgia last Thursday, the Wisconsin swimming and diving team is preparing to face the NC State Wolfpack in a two-day dual meet that begins at 4 p.m. Friday at the UW Natatorium. Here are five things to know leading up to the Badgers' third meet of the season.
ON TO WEEK THREE
Wisconsin failed to earn a team win at home against a talented Georgia squad, as the UW women fell to No. 4 Georgia by a score of 168-127 and the men lost to the No. 8-ranked Bulldogs, 183-117.
Regardless of team outcome, Wisconsin head coach Whitney Hite likes where the Badgers are at right now.
"I thought we competed much better in that Georgia meet. We started fine-tuning some things," he said. "There was definitely a lot of progress, and that's what we're looking for this time of the year."
NOT GETTING ANY EASIER, PT. 2
The Badgers have been put through the gauntlet to open the season, taking on three ranked teams over the last two weeks. Auburn, Tennessee and Georgia are all top-20 programs, according to the CSCAA coaches poll.
This weekend, the Badgers will be up against NC State's fifth-ranked men's and eighth-ranked women's teams.
"NC State is one of the very best programs in the country," Hite said. "They're every bit as good as Stanford, Texas or Cal. You name it, they're right there."
Hite and the Badgers are excited for another challenge.
"We know that we're going to have to be our absolute best," he said. "If we're not, we won't win against a team like that. It's simple. It's about competing."
EMMY ENERGY
Junior Emmy Sehmann left her mark during Wisconsin's home opener vs. Georgia.
She claimed wins in the 50-yard freestyle (21.10) and the 100 free (50.24). Sehmann also was a part of the victorious 200-yard medley relay squad, anchoring the unit that finished in 1:40.41 — more than 2 seconds faster than Georgia's runner-up entry.
"She's done a great job," Hite said. "Emmy has come in and continued that tradition of great female sprinters here at Wisconsin."
Hite sees Sehmann as another example of a hard-working athlete that may not have been highly recruited performing well at Wisconsin.
"Most of the kids who score points for us at NCAAs are the ones that we develop," Hite said. "Emmy has been a pleasant surprise for us. Everyone needs to get better, and that's what she has dedicated herself to doing. And she's going to continue to get better. She's starting to see in herself what we've been seeing in her."
'PRESSURE IS A LUXURY'
After dropping back-to-back meets, Hite expects his athletes to respond.
"We've been competing well, but the pressure is starting to build," he said. "This was intentional — we set up our schedule in a way that puts pressure on our athletes. We want them to improve all season and to be their best come February and March.
"We're lucky. This kind of pressure is a luxury."
ON THE ROAD FROM HERE ON OUT
Last week's home-opener and this week's meet with NC State will be the Badgers' only home competitions of the season, meaning that Wisconsin will be on the road the remainder of the year.
"It's a challenge, but that's just the way the cookie crumbled," Hite said. "It's nothing that we won't be able to handle. We're used to going out and competing against the best teams in the country."
The Badgers have been dealing with challenges all season, and looking forward to facing another one this week against NC State.
