Badgers boosted by personal-bests on second day of Big Tens

Thursday, February 28

Iowa City, IA

11 AM / 6:30 PM

Wisconsin Badgers

Big Ten Championships

Photo by: Big Ten Photo

Badgers boosted by personal-bests on second day of Big Tens

February 28, 2019 | Men's Swimming & Diving

Fifteen Badgers finish with best times at conference meet in Iowa City

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Before each meet, head coach Yuri Suguiyama urges his team to be the best version of themselves that they can. On Thursday, the Wisconsin swimming and diving team obliged, posting 15 personal-best marks to cap the second day of the Big Ten championships.

In the 500-yard freestyle prelims, Michael Milinovich (4:20.11) and Ido Haber (4:20.29) each qualified for finals with personal-best marks. The duo later delivered a 1-2 punch in the "B" final, with Milinovich touching first (4:19.81) and Haber second (4:20.65) to take ninth and 10th, respectively, overall.

"Both Mike and Ido held their spots, which is really hard to do," Suguiyama said.

After notching a personal-best time of 1:46.86 in prelims, freshman Caleb Aman was the Badgers' lone finalist in the 200 individual medley. Aman clocked in at 1:46.86 in "C" finals, good for 24th place overall.

Wisconsin's sprint corps also had a stellar day in the pool.

Senior Tyler Zelen secured an 11th-place time of 19.73, while junior Griffin Back garnered a 20th-place finish in 19.93.

"Tyler moved up in the 50 and Griffin did a really good job tonight," Suguiyama said.

Back also teamed up with Cameron Tysoe, MJ Mao and Erik Gessner in the 400 medley relay that clocked in at 3:08.08, good for sixth place and the second-fastest mark in UW history.

"I was proud of the way those guys swam," Suguiyama said.

Entering the third day of the meet, Wisconsin sits in eighth place, with 211 points.

Friday's events include the 100 butterfly, 400 individual medley, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke and 3-meter diving.

"We've got 24 swims tomorrow and, after two days, there is still 75 percent of the meet left," Suguiyama said. "We're in a dogfight with a few other teams, so every swim is going to count."