Wisconsin Badgers
Big Ten Championships
‘The time is now’ for Big Ten-bound Badgers
February 12, 2018 | Women's Swimming & Diving
Led by Beata Nelson and formidable relays, Wisconsin kicks off championship season
MADISON, Wis. — The No. 21-ranked Wisconsin women's swimming and diving team is set to compete in the 2018 Big Ten Championships this Wednesday through Saturday at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio.
The entirety of the championships — including the daily 10 a.m. (CT) preliminary rounds and 5:30 p.m. finals sessions — will be streamed live via BTN Plus, accessible on BTN2Go.com or the BTN2Go mobile app.
LOOKING BACK
Wisconsin finished third at last year's Big Ten meet — its best showing since 2005 — behind wins in the 200-yard and 400-yard freestyle relays. Five swimmers (Marissa Berg, Chase Kinney, Cierra Runge, Emmy Sehmann and Jess Unicomb) earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, while Abby Jagdfeld was second-team All-Big Ten honoree. Of those six award winners, four return for this year's conference meet: Berg, Jagdfeld, Sehmann and Unicomb.
WINNING TIME
The Badgers have heard it all season from head coach Whitney Hite: "Our goal is to use this part of the year to make sure that by the time that we are at conference and NCAAs that we're the most prepared team." Now, it's time for that preparation to show.
"The time is now and the place is here," Hite said Monday.
"We've been working to this point all year, but we need to keep in mind that we need to go out and enjoy the moment," he said. "Not do anything we're incapable of, just embracing the moment. And I fully expect that, especially because of the leadership of our two senior captains (Berg and Jagdfeld).
RANKINGS RUNDOWN
Wisconsin enters championship season at No. 21 in the College Swim Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Top 25. No. 3 Michigan, No. 8 Indiana, No. 12 Ohio State, No. 16 Minnesota and No. 23 Purdue join the Badgers to give the Big Ten a total of six ranked squads.
TO BE THE BEST...
Another year, another slate of formidable opponents. Hite's philosophy of facing the best competition the nation has to offer was in play once again for the Badgers in 2017-18. UW competed in seven dual meets, with six coming against teams ranked among the nation's top 20 in the latest CSCAA coaches poll: No. 6 Georgia, No. 9 Tennessee, No. 15 Auburn, No. 16 Minnesota, and USC and NC State, which are currently tied for the No. 10 rank.
The Badgers added more competition in two invitational meets. Wisconsin faced No. 19 Notre Dame in the Shamrock Invitational earlier this month and took part in one of the nation's top multi-team events, competing in the Texas Invitational in December.
BIG TIME BEATA
Sophomore Beata Nelson has put together a breakout season in 2017-18 and enters the Big Ten meet ranked in the league's top 10 in a remarkable eight individual events, including four in which she stands either No. 1 or No. 2. She's also part of all five UW relays, three of which rank No. 2 in the conference.
"This is the last step before the last step. Our expectation is for her to be ready good," Hite said. "She faced a lot of adversity her freshman year, a lot of change. But I think we're just now starting to see the best of her."
The Verona (Wisconsin) High School product leads the Big Ten — and ranks No. 2 nationally — in the 100-yard backstroke (50.79) while standing No. 2 in the league — and No. 7 nationally — in the 200 back (1:51.21). Nelson owns automatic NCAA qualifying times in six events: 100 back, 200 back, 200 IM, 400 free relay, 800 free relay, 200 medley relay.
"I think the rest of the Big Ten is about to see how good she is," Hite said, "and in a few weeks the whole country will."
RELAYS TO BE RECKONED WITH
The quartet of Berg, Nelson, Sehmann and Unicomb have the Badgers' relays rolling this season. The foursome rank No. 2 in the 400 free relay (3:15.38) and 200 medley relay (1:37.14) — both times good for automatic NCAA championships bids — as well as No. 3 in the 400 medley relay (3:34.59) and No. 4 in the 200 free relay (1:29.35).
Nelson, Sehmann and Unicomb join forces with Jagdfeld on Wisconsin's 800 free relay, which ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten with an NCAA "A" cut of 7:05.06.
"Our relays are a strength of our team, and we want to make sure that we're in position to do some damage with them at NCAAs," Hite said. "It's all about racing against these great Big Ten programs. We will learn a lot about ourselves and about the other programs."
POISED FOR POINTS
In addition to Nelson and their relays, the Badgers enter championship season with several others primed to score in individual events, based on their seasonal rankings. Ari Saghafi ranks fifth in the 100 butterfly; Unicomb stands sixth in the 100 backstroke and eighth in the 200 back; and Sehmann is ranked eighth in the 50 free.
"To see Ari go through the trials that athletes face at this level — not having a personal best for a while, but continuing to work, continuing to fight — and now finding success, it's a lot of fun to watch," Hite said. "Now the expectation is just for her to keep doing it, keep competing at an elite level."
BIG TIME ON THE BOARDS
Junior Hazel Hertting and Alexandra Hafey lead the way for the Badgers in diving, with each securing qualifying marks for the NCAA Zone Diving meet.
Hertting owns team-best marks for the Badgers in both the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard events. She put up both qualifying scores during a stellar meet vs. Georgia, posting scores of 317.17 (3-meter) and 288.45 (1-meter).
Hafey also set her qualifying mark during the Georgia meet, posting a score of 295.35 on the 3-meter board.
SIGNIFICANT DIGITS
Here are four numbers to keep in mind as the Badgers prepare for four days of competition in Columbus:
"5" — Berg and Sehmann seek to defend their title in the 400 freestyle relay, an event UW has won at 5 of the last 10 Big Ten championships. Last year's winning duo has teamed up with Nelson and Unicomb to rank No. 2 this season at 3:15.38.
"1" — Nelson enters the Big Ten meet as the favorite in the 100 backstroke, an event the Badgers have claimed just once— in 2011, when Maggie Meyer swept the 100 and 200 back crowns. Meyer went on to earn UW's first national title that year, winning the 200 back at the NCAA meet.
"50.79" — Nelson's league-leading time of 50.79 in the 100 back is more than a second better than her next-fastest Big Ten competitor, Indiana's Alexandra Rockett (51.93). Nationally, only Cal's Kathleen Baker (50.62) owns a faster time this season than Nelson.
"23" — Since Hite took the helm of the Wisconsin swimming and diving program in 2011, the Badgers own 23 Big Ten champions (13 individuals, 10 relays).
Players Mentioned
