Alex Tyler holds Northwestern’s season record in both the 100- and 200-yard breastroke, but don’t expect him to swim his signature event Saturday as the Wildcats take on the Carthage Redmen and the Lewis Flyers.
In order to give the team a break from the grueling effects of perfecting the same strokes all season, the Cats will swim outside their comfort zone as they face their last nonconference opponents of the season.
“We really look forward to this meet, especially after all the anticipation building up to the Notre Dame meet,” Tyler, a junior, said. “We get to swim different strokes, which is a nice break in the middle of the season.”
Coming off a win at Notre Dame last weekend, NU will face Carthage and Lewis at home. Lewis competes in Division II and Carthage in Division III, and both schools are ranked in the top 25 of their divisions. Although NU will face off against Lewis for the first time in recent history, it has historically made quick work of Carthage. Last season, the Cats posted an 89-point win over the Redmen. Situated between the first competition of 2010 and an intense Big Ten schedule that includes Iowa, Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State, the meet could serve as a confidence-booster before facing steeper competition, coach Jarod Schroeder said.
“We never overlook our next meet or competition or lose our focus,” Schroeder said. “But I do expect this meet to play out the way it has in the past-with a big win-and for us to use that momentum in the Big Ten.”
After completing a demanding two-week training session in Colorado Springs, Colo., in late December, NU has already built plenty of momentum. At the peak of their physical fitness, the Cats set eight season records at Notre Dame last weekend. First-place wins in 10 of the 16 events were bolstered by 19 second- through fourth-place finishes, an indication NU has found a solution to its depth problem.
“You can really tell that we are swimming fast-not just at the top of heats, but everyone is,” senior Chris Doman said. “We have built up the right focus for the rest of the season.”
The Cats’ recent progress will have to stand the test of physical fatigue, as the rest of the Big Ten matchups loom. Schroeder hopes breaking from the team’s traditional lineup will help the swimmers recuperate, especially the freshmen.
With the team facing powerhouses like No. 3 Michigan in the next two weeks, NU’s underclassmen will need to continue delivering strong swims. Leading the freshman charge is Charlie Rimkus, who holds season records in the 1,000- and 1,650-yard freestyle. Classmate Varun Shivakumar posted a season record in the 200-yard backstroke, an event that is typically weak for the Cats. Both freshmen will need to not only win their strong events but also help fill out the leader board in their secondary strokes and distances.
“We all just have this great aura now, freshmen included,” Tyler said. “When we walk out on the deck, there is this confidence that I can’t even really describe, and that is what is going to make a difference.”
