Badger women open season at No. 23
October 20, 2008 | Women's Swimming & Diving
The Wisconsin women's swimming and diving team has been ranked No. 23 in the season's first top-25 poll by CollegeSwimming.com, while the Badger men find themselves just outside the season's initial rankings.
The Badger women, fresh off a pair of convincing dual-meet wins to open the season, are one of six Big Ten Conference teams among the nation's top 25 and debut one spot below their 22nd-place finish at last year's NCAA championships. The Badgers were ranked No. 21 by CollegeSwimming in the final poll of the 2007-08 season.
Defending national champion Arizona opens the season at No. 1 after receiving each of the possible eight first-place votes, followed by Georgia at No. 2 and Stanford in the third spot. Florida and California round out the top-five.
The Big Ten is well-represented in the poll, with Indiana holding down the No. 8 spot, Minnesota in 11th and Michigan at No. 14. Also, Penn State sits at No. 19, followed by Northwestern at No. 22 and the Badgers in 23rd.
Southern Methodist, which hosts the next stop for the Badger women ' this weekend's SMU Invitational ' begins the season ranked No. 12.
On the men's side, the Badgers sit just outside the top 25 after receiving 52 votes as the top non-ranked vote-getter in the initial poll. Harvard is No. 25 to begin the season after garnering 61 total votes.
Texas leads the way at No. 1, followed by Stanford and defending NCAA champion Arizona -- the Badgers' next opponent. Florida and Michigan round out the top-five.
Along with the Wolverines, Minnesota (No. 9), Ohio State (No. 11), Indiana (No. 14) and Penn State (No. 15) represent the Big Ten in the men's poll.
The Badger men are next in action on Friday, Oct. 31, when they take on the third-ranked Wildcats in a dual meet in Tucson, Ariz.
Click here for the complete CollegeSwimming rankings.
