Swimming and Diving

The most recent College Swimming Coaches Association of America top 25 poll lists the Northwestern men’s swimming team at the number 21 spot nationally going into this weekend’s meet. Based on votes cast by coaches from different divisions, the poll reflects NU’s depth and progression instead of just accumulation of points.

“We came out and really did some great things the first two meets that we had compared to last year,” junior captain Van Donkersgoed said. “I like the way that the CSCAA does the poll because I think it allows for a little more subjectivity and understanding of context, rather than just performance equals points and thus rankings.”

This emergence on the top-25 list can be linked to strong performances by NU from the previous dual meet against Illinois-Chicago and Oakland, where both men’s and women’s teams captured double victories.

Both NU teams are 3-0 so far this season and will travel to Lexington, Kentucky for a two day quad-meet. NU will face Kentucky, Missouri and Southern Illinois. 

Despite the combined wins from the dual meet hosted in Evanston two weeks ago, men’s coach Jarod Schroeder said he still had specifics he wants the team to work on.

“I’m still trying to figure out some things with our lineup,” he said after the last meet. “We have some pretty glaring holes with the 200 fly, 200 individual medley and 200 free, and those are the events I was trying to find somebody to step up and lead the way in, that way we have some options in the upcoming meets.”

The men’s team has utilized the recent bye week to prepare for the high level of competition they will face this weekend.

“We took the week that we had off to take a step forward in training to prepare ourselves to take on really the first big test of the season,” Donkersgoed said. “And that is this upcoming quad meet.”

The meet will begin on Friday at 5 p.m. and resume on Saturday at 8 a.m., with diving only taking place on the first day of competition. A win this weekend could propel the men’s team into a top-20 position.

“I think this meet is where we really get to show that we are a top-20 program,” Donkersgoed said. “I think that’s what’s really exciting, that the country has been looking at us and we received the number of votes to put us at 21. Now we just get to go out and prove it again and again.”

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