The Cal men’s swimming team will use Saturday’s duel with Wisconsin, a top-25 team in last year’s final poll, as a tune-up for the fast approaching Pac-12 season.
The Badgers are Cal’s most formidable opponents so far this fall season. As the competitive swimming season kicks off Nov. 30, Cal will use this bout against Wisconsin to get accustomed to the fast-paced dual meet structure.
The Bears are sprinting into midseason form with three-peat hopes on their minds. The Saturday meet at noon in Spieker Aquatics Complex will be invaluable as it is one of the two home meets in the fall season.
Swimmers will look to take advantage of the competition and get acclimated with the fast paced dual meet structure. The format includes about 20 events with only a one minute transition time.
“Expectations for this meet will be much higher than before,” sophomore Christian Higgins said. “We count on going fast as soon as we hit the water.”
This meet is a limited opportunity where coach Coach Durden can look to tinker with the lineups while trying to find the designated events for the swimmers.
Many times, he will put swimmers in strokes they are not comfortable with to figure out if the swimmers can be competitive in other events.
Other times, he will try to put these swimmers in two events that are very close together or put sprinters in long-distance events. Durden likes to use these meets for training purposes for the swimmers and wants to push the athletes by putting them out of their comfort zone.
“This meet will provide a little better gauge for December,” said coach Durden. “ I will probably make the guys race four different events, and it will show me where they are (now) and where they will be.”
The Badgers are also preparing for their upcoming Big Ten season and will be at full force knowing that they are facing the defending champions. Second-team All-Big Ten seniors Dan Lester and Michael Weiss will fill the scoreboards for Wisconsin.
Lester will battle Cal’s NCAA champion Marcin Tarczynski in 200 IM and NCAA champion Tom Shields in the 100 Fly. Lester took third and second in the 200 IM and 100 Fly with record school times of 1:44.47 and 46.07 at Big Ten championships.
Weiss will look to take advantage of Cal’s depleted breast stroke group and put up significant points. Weiss set two school records at the NCAA Championships with 3:43.12 in 400 IM and 1:55.78 in 200 breast.
Cal will use their more balanced group led by NCAA champions sophomore Will Hamilton, Shields and Tarczynski to put up points early in the meet. Cal has a huge advantage in the relays since they return all five members of their national champion relay team.
This battle against Wisconsin will be a challenge that will give Cal a sense of their own progression.
“The stakes are higher now and we will be cheering and supporting one another to do our best against Wisconsin,” said Hamilton.
Hunter He covers men’s swim. Contact him at [email protected]
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