Wisconsin
1-0, men; 1-0, women
Minnesota
0-0, men; 0-0 women
Game Coverage
Friday, Oct. 12 | 3pm (diving) / 5pm (swimming) — Madison, Wis.
MADISON, Wis. – Fresh off its convincing victory over Green Bay, the Wisconsin swimming and diving team (1-0, men; 1-0, women) returns to competition by hosting rival Minnesota (0-0, men; 0-0, women) Friday at the UW Natatorium. Here are five things you should know ahead of Friday's Border Battle.
1. RANKED RECOGNITION: The Wisconsin women will begin Big Ten competition this Friday with a No. 20 ranking in the CSCAA Top 25, the group announced Wednesday.
The Badgers received 76 points. Stanford, last year's reigning national champion team, sits at No. 1.
2. SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: On Friday, fans will pay special homage to 17 seniors competing in their final meet at the UW Natatorium.
They were once recruits from different corners of the globe but now share a common bond as soon-to-be -graduates of UW. They were inspired by years of senior leadership but are now looked upon for theirs. They specialize in different events but collectively endeavor to better their team and the Badger community.
They are seniors Matt Aronson, Stephen Boden, Katie Coughlin, Alex Hafey, Hazel Hertting, Sydney Lofquist, Molly Manchon, Ethan O'Neill, Andrew Pearce, Ari Saghafi, Emmy Sehmann, Mike Sullivan, Maddi Tew, Grace Tierney, Jess Unicomb, Chris Wills and Tyler Zelen.
3. BORDER BATTLES: In the previous four meetings between Wisconsin and Minnesota, the Badgers have traded wins and losses with their Big Ten rival.
Wisconsin's women fell to Minnesota, 203-95, in the 2014-15 season, while the men won, 153-146.
In the 2015-16 season, the UW men would match the women's closely-claimed victory over Minnesota, 152-148, with one of their own, 159-141.
In the beginning of the 2016-17 season in Minneapolis, Wisconsin's women edged out Minnesota, 158-142, while the men were defeated, 185-115.
Last season, the Wisconsin men fell to Minnesota, 216-137, as did the women, 191.5-161.5.
4. NCAA NOTEABLES: Four Badger divers notched NCAA qualifying scores against Green Bay, a promising trajectory as the season unfolds.
Seniors Hazel Hertting and Alex Hafey punched their NCAA zone championship tickets on the 1-meter board, scoring 292.05 and 265.95, respectively.
Hertting grabbed another zone meet bid with a score of 324.30 on the 3-meter board.
Junior Kevin Pomeroy earned zone qualification marks with scores of 382.05 – a UW Natatorium record – on the 3-meter board and 320.17 on the 1-meter board.
Sophomore Brayden Schachle also seized an NCAA nod with his score of 304.65 on the 1-meter board.
5. SCOUTING GOPHERS: The Gopher women's swimming and diving team received 171 points in the CSCAA poll, securing the No. 13 spot.
The Gopher men also earned a top-25 nod, sitting at No. 18 with 107 points.
On the men's side, returning Badgers will see many familiar faces, as the No. 18 Gophers maintained all but two athletes from last year's roster.
