MADISON, Wis. – More than one month removed from the Texas Invitational, the Wisconsin swimming and diving team is poised to return to competition.
 
Returning from their annual 10-day training trip in Hawaii, the men and ninth-ranked women will make a stop in Los Angeles to take on USC on Monday. Here are five things to know as the Badgers prepare to take on the Trojans.
 
 
A WELL-DESERVED BREAK
 
After starting at a blistering pace, with six meets over the season's first five weeks, the Badgers enjoyed their first significant period of rest after wrapping up competition in Texas on Dec. 2.
 
Following final exams, the student-athletes were able to head home for a 10-day break before getting back in the pool and heading for Hawaii.
 
 
A DIFFERENT WAY TO TAKE IN PARADISE
 
Millions travel to Hawaii each year to enjoy its relaxing beaches and easygoing pace. The Badgers made the trip, but their itinerary wasn't exclusively set up for relaxation.
 
After returning to Madison on Jan. 2 and putting in two days of training, the Badgers flew to Honolulu and have been putting in work in the pool ever since.
 
"With the training trip here, it kind of shifts our gears into the championship time of the season," head coach Whitney Hite said. "After our break, we've had some very good training, and a good amount of time to take some steps forward."
 
 
GROWTH IN HAWAII
 
The Badgers' trip to Hawaii serves a dual propose.
 
"The first priority is to get better as an athlete, but you can't help but get closer as a team when we go through experiences like this," Hite said.
 
The team will have been together continuously for 13 straight days by the time it returns to Madison, giving the Badgers plenty of time to get even closer.
 
"It might be just as important as the training piece," Hite said. "Understanding who we are as individuals goes a long way to understanding what we can do as a team."
 
 
A PIT STOP AT USC
 
The Badgers will make one stop on their homeward journey, pausing in Los Angeles to take on the formidable USC Trojans.
 
"USC is one of the best teams in the country. It's certainly a great challenge for us," Hite said. "They are very well coached; Dave Salo is one of the best coaches out there."
 
Both of USC's teams are among the top ten teams in the country. The Trojans men are currently ranked seventh by in the CSCAA coaches poll, with the women's team ranked ninth.
 
The Badgers, however, have welcomed this sort of challenge since the first week of the season.
 
"It's a great opportunity for us to see the fruits of our labor, coming off two weeks of intense training," Hite said.
 
 
MAKING THE TURN INTO THE HOME STRETCH
 
The team's training trip to Hawaii serves as the unofficial start of championship season. In other words, it's time to lay it all out there.
 
"Your sense of urgency is raised a little bit. I keep preaching to the team that it's not about being nervous — it's about being excited," Hite said. "We've put in a lot of work and have worked very hard."
 
The Badgers will follow their meet against USC by competing in the Shamrock Invitational at Notre Dame 11 days later. Following the trip to South Bend, the Badgers will have less than a month to prepare for the Big Ten championships.
 
"After Notre Dame, you just have to land the plane, so to speak," Hite said. "We're just getting more and more excited as we get closer."