Minnesota men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams traveled south to take on border rivals Wisconsin in a two-day meet in Madison. At the end of Day 1 the women Golden Gophers were leading the Wisconsin Badgers 101-83 and Minnesota’s men were up 183-103.
Fresh off a victory over Big Ten adversary University of Michigan, the Gopher women kicked the Wisconsin dual meet off with a narrow win in the 200 free relay. Lauren Votava, Becca Weiland, Erin Caflisch and Blake Zeiger came in at 1:32.22, just .18 ahead of Wisconsin’s Ivy Martin, Chase Kinney, Aja Van Hout and Rebecka Palm.
Kiera Janzen of Minnesota opened the individual events with a win in the 500 free, going 4:54.44. Freshman Dana Grindall of Wisconsin and her teammate Caroline Palm were second and third, with 4:59.71 and 5:00.32, respectively. Janzen also won this event against Michigan last weekend.
Wisconsin’s Aja Van Hout took the 200 IM in 2:03.12, just ahead of Gopher Tori Simenec’s 2:03.50. Badger Rebecka Palm rounded out the top three with a 2:06.55.
Big Ten Women’s Swimmer of the Week Ivy Martin of Wisconsin won the 50 free handily in 22.42. Minnesota’s Erin Caflisch (23.31) and Becca Weiland (23.66) were second and third, respectively.
A couple of youngsters led the way as Wisconsin’s 200 medley relay beat Minnesota’s 1:42.32 to 1:43.94. Freshman Emma Paulson, sophomore Anna Meinholz, junior Ivy Martin, and freshman Chase Kinney were a full second faster than they were at last weekend’s Georgia meet, while Gophers Tess Behrens, Kierra Smith, Becca Weiland and Erin Caflisch were a little off their time from the Michigan contest.
In the 200 fly, Wisconsin freshman Dana Grindall held off several Minnesota upperclassmen to win a tight race in 2:04.06. Gopher teammates Tori Simenec and Devin Ste Marie were second and third with 2:04.32 and 2:04.47, respectively.
Minnesota women went 1-2-3 in the 200 free, although Wisconsin’s Aja Van Hout was only fourth by .11. Kiera Janzen of Minnesota won her second event of the evening in 1:50.09, ahead of teammates Madeline Hoch (1:51.24) and Lauren Votava (1:51.68).
Kierra Smith took the 200 breast in 2:17.61. Wisconsin’s Anna Meinholz and Jenny Holtzen finished 2-3 with 2:18.69 and 2:21.62, respectively.
Minnesota senior Tess Behrens cruised to victory in the 200 back in 2:02.16. Wisconsin’s Emma Paulson was second with 2:03.59; Minnesota freshman Katelyn Holmquist was third with 2:05.72.
In the final event of the evening, Minnesota’s 800 free relay featured three 1:50s and a 1:51 from a flat start: Madeline Hoch, Lauren Votava, Tori Simenec and Kiera Janzen touched first in 7:22.76. The Wisconsin foursome of Caroline Palm, Rebecka Palm, Alex Frasier and Dana Grindall finished second in 7:34.33.
The men’s contest began with a Minnesota victory in the 200 free relay. Derek Toomey, Daryl Turner, Kyler Van Swol and Carl Newenhouse combined for a 1:21.98, ahead of Wisconsin’s Brett Pinfold, Cannon Clifton, Zach Wagner and Damon Zito (1:22.51).
Wisconsin junior Nick Caldwell cruised to an easy win in the 500 free in 4:27.19. Gopher teammates CJ Smith and Logan Redondo finished 2-3 with 4:34.51 and 4:36.73, respectively.
The 200 IM featured a strong charge from second-place finisher Brandon Hatanaka of Minnesota, but he was unable to catch his teammate Luke Bushman who won in 1:52.02. Hatanaka’s wound up second with 1:52.14. Wisconsin junior Drew teDuits was third in 1:53.39.
Derek Toomey of Minnesota took the 50 free in 20.38. He was followed by his teammate, freshman Daryl Turner (20.76) and by Wisconsin sophomore Zach Wagner (21.06).
Minnesota dominated the 200 medley relay. Freshmen Daryl Turner and Nick Hatanaka and seniors Kyler Van Swol and Derek Toomey combined for 1:29.94. Wisconsin’s Drew teDuits, Nick Schafer, Cannon Clifton, and Zach Wagner placed second in 1:31.71.
Minnesota went 1-2-3 in the 200 fly. Freshman Nick Orf edged teammate Brandon Hatanaka 1:50.75 to 1:50.95. Fellow Gopher Andrew Hartbarger finished third with 1:52.03.
Wisconsin’s Nick Caldwell won his second event of the night, taking the 200 free in 1:39.47. The Badgers swept the event as freshman Brett Pinfold touched second in 1:41.27 and Tyler Hines got the bronze with 1:43.68.
Nick Schafer of Wisconsin won the 200 breast with a 2:02.28. Minnesota freshman Nick Hatanaka (2:04.02) was second; Jake Mandli of Wisconsin (2:05.51), third.
Big Ten Champion Drew teDuits of Wisconsin crushed the field in the 200 back, winning in 1:46.66. Minnesota teammates Luke Bushman and Carl Newenhouse finished second and third, with 1:50.05 and 1:50.40, respectively
Not too surprisingly given the results of the 200 free, Wisconsin had an easy victory in the 800 relay. Nick Caldwell, Brett Pinfold, Cannon Clifton and Tyler Hines went 6:42.98 to Kyler Van Swol, Ben Bravence, Logan Redondo and Brandon Hatanaka’s 6:48.35.
The cross-border rivalry continues on Saturday, October 19 in Madison. Diving begins at 10:00 a.m., swimming at 11:00 a.m.