It was a day of record-breaking times for No. 14 Northwestern, as one swimmer and two relay teams shattered Big Ten records during day one of the Big Ten Championships Thursday.

NU enters competition in Minneapolis today in third place with 154 points. Minnesota is first with 218 points, and Indiana is second with 205.

En route to winning the preliminary round of the 50-yard freestyle, sophomore Matt Grevers broke the Big Ten record, swimming it in 19.35. Grevers’ time was the second fastest in the nation this year. He later won the final in 19.39.

In the final of the 200-yard freestyle relay, Grevers and three of his teammates set a new conference record by swimming the event in 1:17.74. An hour later, the Cats broke the Big Ten record in the 400-yard medley relay, swimming it in 3:08.50.

While Grevers and the two relay teams swam into the history books, they also swam into the NCAA Championships.

Grevers, as well as both relays, swam “A” cut times. Those times are fast enough to automatically qualify a swimmer or relay into the NCAA Championships.

The Cats also had several “B” cut times. Those times are not automatic qualifiers, and NU won’t know until after the Big Ten Championships if those times are good enough to qualify.

Sophomore Mike Alexandrov also swam an “A” qualifying time in the 200-yard individual medley relay in 1:45.70.

Grevers has a chance for another record-breaking, qualifying time today in the 200-yard backstroke.

NU returns to the pool at noon starting with today’s preliminary rounds.

Reach Coley Harvey at [email protected].