Badgers Head to Big Ten Championships
February 21, 2008 | Women's Swimming & Diving
The 20th-ranked University of Wisconsin women' swimming and diving team returns to action this weekend following a three-week layoff as it heads to Columbus, Ohio for the 2008 Big Ten Championships. The meet will take place over a three-day span, with events on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion.
Preliminary events will begin each day at 10 a.m. with the finals to follow at 6:30 p.m. Fans can follow live stats by clicking DB_OEM_ID=17300"> --> here .
At last year's event, the Badgers finished fifth with a score of 413.5. Senior Jackie Vavrek (West Chicago, Ill.) is the defending champion in the 50-yard freestyle, while Vavrek and fellow senior Katie Imhoff-Smith (Waukesha, Wis.) were part of the 200-yard medley relay team that took first place.
Head coach Eric Hansen said that his team is looking to have a good showing at this year 's meet and that the team has a good mix of veterans and youth.
'I think that we're really looking forward to the meet,' Hansen said. 'We have one of the best groups of girls we've ever had. We have a great mix of really talented freshmen, but we also have some very seasoned veterans in our upper class, so we're looking forward to a great showing.'
The Badgers will be looking toward certain individuals though to carry them this weekend.
Hansen feels that Vavrek will be a key contributor this weekend.
'She'll lead us and be a huge part of our relays,' he said.
Vavrek has had a solid season thus far. She was named the Big Ten Swimmer of the Week on Oct. 9, and has the top finishing time in the 50-yard freestyle and in two relay events this year.
Sophomore Gabby Maddalena (The Woodlands, Texas) will look to help the Badgers in the distance events. She has posted the best times on the team in the 1000-yard freestyle and in the 1650-yard freestyle this year, along with one of the top times in the 400-yard IM and 500-yard freestyle.
Another swimmer that Hansen will be leaning on is freshman Maggie Meyer (North Oaks, Minn.). Hansen said that she will be a 'huge impact girl.'
'She will swim on every one of our relays, so obviously she's a key component to our success,' Hansen added.
Meyer has thrived in her freshman campaign. She has the top time on the team in the 100-yard freestyle, 100-yard backstroke and in the 200-yard backstroke. In addition, she has been on all five top-time relay teams.
While those individuals will be vital to the Badgers' success, Hansen knows that it will be a team effort and he has the right core to be a player this weekend and in the future.
'We have a good group of versatile women,' he said. 'It 's just a core group of probably 10 girls that we'll take to the NCAA Championships and they'll all have a role and play a part in our success. '
