BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The No. 24-ranked Wisconsin women's swimming and diving team opened the 2019 Big Ten Championships on Wednesday with a bronze in the 800-yard freestyle relay and a fourth-place finish in the 200 medley relay.
 
First-year head coach Yuri Suguiyama was nothing but impressed with his team's opening-day racing. 
 
"That was a great first session for our Badgers," Suguiyama said. "Those were our best times of the season and that's the goal here these next few days: be the best version of ourselves that we can be."
 
Behind junior Beata Nelson's blistering anchor leg split of 1:42.03, Wisconsin pulled away in the 800 free relay to take third with a time of 7:00.39. 
 
"I was super excited for that relay," Nelson said. "I just had a feeling that something special was going to happen in that race."
 
"I went way faster that I thought I was going to, so it was just a really good race all around."
 
Hopping on the podium for this first time this week, Nelson felt nothing but pride. 
 
"It's always a really prideful moment to stand up on the podium, wearing the W," Nelson said. "Seeing my teammates so proud and excited is a special thing, so relays are definitely some of my favorite moments of these meets."
 
The Badgers' 800 free squad of Lillie Hosack, Jess Unicomb, Megan Doty and Nelson automatically punched its ticket to next month's NCAA championships with their mark. 
 
"Beata was awesome in both of her relay splits," Suguiyama said. "And Lillie was electric leading off the 800 free relay." 
 
But the excitement didn't end there. 
 
The Badgers' 200 medley relay squad of Kathleen Coughlin, Kelsi Artim, Nelson and Emmy Sehmann finished fourth in 1:35.87 – just .02 seconds shy of third place. 
 
"Kelsi continues to impress up with her progression," Suguiyama said of the freshman. 
 
The foursome will get a second crack at the podium in March, as the finish automatically qualified the squad for NCAAs. 
 
The Badgers will resume competition Thursday, holding a three-way tie in the team standings with Minnesota and Ohio State, with 106 points. 
 
"I think we are in a really good position after the first night," Nelson said. "I think we have to keep fighting, putting our hand on the wall and believing in one another – and Big Tens will be a great meet for us."
 
"The energy that we are bringing to the table this week is awesome," Nelson said. "Everyone is laughing, smiling, having a good time and making memories."
 
"And that's what it's all about." 
 
Racing gets underway with prelims at 10:30 a.m. (CT) followed by finals at 5:30 p.m. Thursday's events include the 500 free, 200 individual medley, 50 free and 1-meter diving.