28-year old Record Falls in Badger Sweep

In Wisconsin’s first meet of the season, Caleb Percevecz certainly didn’t hesitate to turn heads.  

In his first competition of the season, the junior shattered the Badgers’ 28-year-old school record in 3-meter diving on his way to a sweep of the springboard events and helping the Badger men score a 177.5-64.5 win over in-state rival Milwaukee Friday at the UW Natatorium.  The women were similarly successful with a 157-85 win of their own over the Panthers.
 
Junior Maggie Meyer, who entered the collegiate season coming off a U.S. Open championship and a berth to the USA Swimming National Team, was part of three event wins for the Badgers and laid down an NCAA consideration time of 55.60 to claim the top spot in the 100-yard backstroke.
 
Meyer also scored a win in the 200-yard individual medley and was part of the Badgers’ winning effort in the 200 medley relay to lead off the night. Freshmen Paulina Gralow and Laura Miller and senior Rosie Morahan combined with Meyer to clock the winning time of 1:46.16.
 
Meyer’s teammate on the U.S. national team, sophomore Ashley Wanland, also was a winner by claiming the 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:03.06.
 
“We had a very successful summer season … and because we did so well we came back and had some good motivation,” Wanland said. “We know what we want to achieve this year, and I think we all did a pretty good job (tonight).”
 
In all, the Badgers claimed wins in nine of the 10 contested swimming events and also in the 1-meter diving competition, which Emily Cheffins claimed with a score of 284.63.
 
The team victory was the Badgers’ 18th straight over Milwaukee since the teams renewed their rivalry in the 1992-93 season. Wisconsin leads the all-time series between the teams, 22-0.
 
“By no means were we fast, but I thought we competed well and did well based on where we’re at right now, which is very tired,” UW head coach Eric Hansen said. “We ratcheted it up really quickly this year, and you can see that.”
 
Along with her win in the 200 medley relay, Morahan led the way in both the 100 free (51.98) and 200 free (1:52.69) to join Meyer as a three-time winner.
 
Senior Gabby Maddalena won the 500 free and then took third in the 1,000 free, which was won by sophomore teammate Danielle Beckwith in 10:13.25.
 
The 100 butterfly went to senior Anna Chang, who clocked in at 59.07 to hold off teammate and runner-up Karlyn Hougan in 59.31.
 
Milwaukee scored its lone victory in the pool when Sara Wardecke won the 50 free in 24.53. The Panthers also claimed the win on the 3-meter board with Kelsey George’s score of 294.08.
 
The 3-meter diving record, previously held by Chris Chelich at 366.25, was the oldest record on the books at UW, but Percevecz’s score of 381.08 officially gives him all five of Wisconsin’s diving records.
 
So much for easing into the new season.
 
“It makes me really excited for the rest of the year, starting like that,” Percevecz said. “I’ve been training really hard so I can make my dives consistent, so I’m really happy I got it right away. It’s a great start.”
 
Percevecz said there’s no time to waste when it comes to diving.
 
“It’s all about the get up and go,” he said. “We train for just six dives and you have six dives to do your best.”
 
“I’m really proud of Caleb’s effort, and it’s his time to help us.” UW head coach Eric Hansen said. “As a junior we want to see him at the NCAAs, and everything is geared toward that.
 
“It’s a positive step, to be able to help us on the board with points at the NCAA championships.”
 
Thanks to Percevecz’s work on the board and wins in XX swimming events, the Badgers easily grabbed their 19th-consecutive win from the series against Milwaukee. They also had some help from newcomers in earning the victory.
 
Chuck Allison, a junior transfer from Ohio State, helped his foursome clinch a victory in the 200-yard medley relay ahead of the runner-up group that featured plenty of experience with Jesse Stipek, Eric Johnson, Brandon O’Donnell and Phil Davies.
 
Allison’s squad, which also included Derrick O’Donnell, Dan Koenig and Chris Nemeth, clocked in at 1:35.00 to take the win, with the runner-up group claiming a time of 1:35.33.
 
Another respectable finish came from freshman Marcus Guttman, who took third place in the 1,000-yard freestyle behind runner-up and teammate Kyle Thompson. Dan Heraly from Milwaukee beat both Badgers to claim the Panthers’ only win of the night.
 
UW freshman Michael Weiss also had an outstanding finish in the 500 free, taking second to sophomore teammate Brett Nagle.
 
Next on deck at the Natatorium is a battle against Big Ten Conference rival Iowa next Friday, Oct. 16. Hansen says there is work to be done before Hawkeyes come to town.
 
“We’re going to have to be substantially better there, but this is a start and kind of our first report card,” Hansen said. “I give them an ‘A’ in terms of how hard they’ve worked, but in terms of our performance here we weren’t very sharp.
 
“We’re just looking to get better every day and at every meet.”