After three weeks to recharge their batteries, the Wildcats are eager to get back in the pool for the Big Ten Championships this weekend in Columbus, Ohio.
Northwestern finished the regular season with a record of 6-4. The girls consistently had strong showings against Big Ten competition throughout the season, and three of their victories were against other Big Ten teams. In the last meet of the regular season, the Cats were victorious over Ohio State, ending their season on a strong note. The team hopes to carry that momentum into the postseason.
After its final meet of the regular season, the team took advantage of the three weeks of no competition and let their bodies recover from a long season filled with hard training.
“I think they look better and better each week,” head coach Jimmy Tierney said. “I think almost everybody on the team has shown at some point that they’re looking fast and their bodies are coming around.”
As a result of the extra rest, the girls have had more time and energy to goof off and enjoy themselves. Freshman Ellen Grigg said it was nice to “hang out a little bit more instead of swimming so much.”
Even the coaches saw a difference in the swimmers’ attitudes.
“We have more rest on the walls (in the pool), so I’m seeing a lot of laughing and talking,” Tierney said. “We’re getting some quality social time with each other … I’ve seen a lot more smiles, since we haven’t had to push quite as hard.”
The time was not all fun and games, however, because the girls had to mentally prepare for the intensity of the Big Ten Championship. Grigg said the upperclassmen were very supportive to the freshmen in helping them prepare for their first Big Ten Championships.
The Cats had no seniors on the team last year, so they return to the tournament this year with all of their swimmers from last year. With the returning swimmers come 11 talented freshmen who increase the depth of the team.
Tierney said the team has more opportunities to score points this year because of the improvement of the upperclassmen and the addition of the freshmen.
“You never know with these freshmen, we might have someone who can pop something here and get points for us,” Tierney said.
This weekend, Tierney hopes to using the team’s depth to its full advantage, especially in the relays. He describes the relays as “key” for the team, and he said there is a chance some Cats could qualify for the NCAA meet.
Last year, both the 400 free relay and 800 free relay teams qualified, and Tierney said he hopes to qualify medley relays this year as well. Already this season, the 200 free relay and the 400 medley relay have made NCAA ‘B’ times, which are provisional qualifying times for the NCAA championships.
“As a whole our five relays are deeper and stronger than they’ve been in years,” Tierney said. “That is encouraging, and we want to do some big things with our relays and have an impact.”
The Cats already have several swimmers with NCAA ‘B’ times going into the meet. Senior Andrea Hupman and sophomore Kassia Shishkoff both have ‘B’ times in all three events they are swimming this weekend; Hupman in the 50 free, 100 free and 200 free, and Shishkoff in the 500 free, 1650 free, and 400 IM. Sophomore Emily Wong has ‘B’ times in both the 50 and 100 free, and senior Katie Braun has ‘B’ times in the 100 and 200 fly. As a freshman, Grigg has a ‘B’ time in the 500 free.
“I think the team’s going to do really well,” Grigg said. “Everyone has been training fast this year, and we’re excited and ready to go.”
