It’s been 18 days since the Northwestern women’s swimming team has competed. But when the Wildcats suit up today for the start of the Big Ten Championships, they don’t expect to be rusty.

In the three weeks since their last match, the Cats have eased up the stress being placed on their bodies. At this point in the season, their overall idea is to become more crisp in execution, rather than trying to build strength, head coach Jimmy Tierney said.

“We’ve just been fine-tuning things like their starts and turns,” he said. “We work out less during the week here and there, so some of them have gotten to sleep in a little more.”

Rest has been crucial for the wounded squad. NU has dealt with a plethora of injuries since the beginning of the season, including shoulder injuries to key swimmers Brielle Bovee and Rachel Johnson. Bovee sat out five matches before she was cleared to swim Feb. 1 against Ohio State. The sophomore breaststroke specialist won the 100-yard breaststroke in that meet, completing the regular season undefeated in that event. However, her biggest test will come this week against the Big Ten’s finest.

Johnson has been bothered by tendonitis in her shoulder since the end of last season, but has continued to be a force for the Cats. What Johnson has lost in strength, the Cats have gained in her senior leadership. NU’s relaxed practices should benefit Johnson as she tries to repeat a stellar performance at last year’s Big Tens, in which she netted a second place in the 200 butterfly, third in the 200 individual medley and fifth in the 400 IM.

It’s no secret that this meet has been the focus for NU all season. Not only will the Cats be looking to avenge early losses to conference opponents, but they are looking to notch times that make the cut for the NCAA championships, starting March 20 in Auburn, Ala.

In order to make the NCAAs, there are specific times that swimmers must beat, labeled “A” and “B” cut times. If a swimmer acquires an “A” time, she is automatically entered into the NCAAs in that event. “B” times are analogous to an at-large bid for the NCAA basketball tournaments. The NCAA takes a certain number of swimmers in each event each year, and if there are not enough “A” times to meet the quota, the fastest “B” times are taken. No NU swimmer has recorded an “A” cut time this season, but several have “B” times.

With the altered training regimen and the crucial rest his team has received in the last three weeks, Tierney expects his swimmers to be at their fastest this week.

Although Tierney hasn’t revealed the teams’ goals for the tournament, he has one of his own. In his eight years as NU’s head coach, the team has never finished higher than third at Big Tens.

Big Ten Championships

Today through Saturday

Boilermaker Aquatic Complex

West Lafayette, Ind.

Swimmer to watch: Wisconsin’s Jenny Lyman defends her title in the 50-yard freestyle.