Five Things to Know: Wisconsin sends six to Big Ten/ACC Challenge

Saturday, November 10

West Lafayette, IN

4 PM (CT)

Wisconsin Badgers

Big Ten/ACC Challenge

Photo of Beata Nelson at the Texas invitational in 2017

Five Things to Know: Wisconsin sends six to Big Ten/ACC Challenge

November 09, 2018 | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving

Six Badgers represent UW in all-star showdown between leagues

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin swimming and diving team is set to send six competitors back to West Lafayette, Indiana, this weekend for the inaugural Big Ten/ACC Swimming and Diving Challenge. Before the all-star event gets underway Saturday, here are five things you should know:

1. Looking Back: Last Friday, Wisconsin (2-1 men; 2-1 women) wrapped up its fall dual meet campaign by squaring off against Tennessee and Purdue in West Lafayette.

"I think we did a lot of growing up last weekend," head coach Yuri Suguiyama said. "We learned a lot about what we are doing well – and what we need to improve on."

The Badgers grabbed five wins on the blocks, including a Big Ten-leading mark from junior Cam Tysoe in the men's 200-yard backstroke (1:45.14).

"It felt awesome and it got me pretty pumped up," Tysoe said of the race. "But at the end of the day, it's November and there is a lot of racing yet this season."

2. Six Picks: The Badgers are returning six swimmers to the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center for a second consecutive week as they help fill out the Big Ten roster for its first-ever challenge with the ACC.

Wisconsin will be represented by Griffin Back and Tysoe on the men's side, as well as Kathleen Coughlin, Megan Doty, Beata Nelson and Jess Unicomb on the women's squad.

"All six of them have been incredibly consistent for us," Suguiyama said. "I expect them to go there and represent not only our university but the Big Ten Conference."

As for Tysoe, expect the junior to up the ante.

"I'm definitely aiming to swim some personal-bests," Tysoe said. "This weekend is simply another opportunity to get faster."

3. About the Challenge: The Big Ten and Atlantic Coast conferences will battle in familiar NCAA short-course dual meet fashion, with scores kept in both the men's and women's competitions. With 80 competitors from each league, the meet is headlined by eight Olympians and seven NCAA champions.

Badgers' Saturday Events (4 p.m. CT)
• Women's 400 Medley Relay (Nelson – A; Unicomb – C)
• Women's 200 Backstroke (Nelson, Unicomb)
• Men's 200 Backstroke (Tysoe)
• Women's 800 Freestyle Relay (Unicomb – D)
• Men's 800 Freestyle Relay (Back – C; Tysoe – C)

Badgers' Sunday Events (9 a.m. CT)
• Women's 200 Medley Relay (Nelson – A; Coughlin – C)
• Women's 100 Backstroke (Nelson, Unicomb)
• Men's 100 Backstroke (Tysoe)
• Women's 200 Individual Medley (Doty, Nelson)
• Women's 400 Freestyle Relay (Nelson – A; Unicomb – C)
• Men's 400 Freestyle Relay (Back – C)

4. Live Look: The Big Ten/ACC Swimming and Diving Challengeoffers a chance for fans to see some the nation's top swimmers go head to head.

Saturday's events begin at 4 p.m. (CT) and will stream live via BTN2Go.comand the BTN2Go mobile app, as part the BTN Plus subscription package (subscription options).

Sunday's events, which begin at 9 a.m. (CT), will be broadcast live on BTN. That coverage also can be streamed via BTN2Go(including the BTN2Go and FOX Sports mobile apps) by subscribers who get BTN as part of their home TV package.

Live results from both days of the competition can be found on the Meet Mobile app and via Purdue's live results page.

Fans also can follow along on Twitter via @BadgerSwimDive.

5. Looking Forward: Wisconsin is slated to resume team competition at the annual Texas Invitational, Nov. 28 to Dec. 1 in Austin, Texas.