Junior Mike Alexandrov has top-50 times in two events early in the 2005-06 season.Junior Mike Alexandrov has top-50 times in two events early in the 2005-06 season.

Northwestern Returns to Pool For Double Dual

Nov. 3, 2005

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern returns to the pool at 5 p.m. Friday to take on its first Big Ten competition of year, traveling to West Lafayette, Ind., to race Purdue and Michigan State in a double-dual meet.

The Wildcats had last week off after racing three-consecutive days to open the 2005-06 season. NU began the year with a dual victory at UW-Milwaukee before narrowly falling to Texas A&M at the Norris Aquatics Center.

Northwestern then captured its own NU Relays, besting a field of four to the title.

While some other teams have been in action for more than a month this season, the Wildcats still have numerous swimmers ranked in the first Taper & Shave Quick 50 of the year.

Junior Matt Grevers (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) is ranked in three events, including a team-best 11th in 200 IM. Classmate Mike Alexandrov (Champaign, Ill./Centennial) is ranked in a pair of the events, the 200 and 1000 free.

Sophomore David Kormushoff (Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) holds the Wildcats' second-best ranking early in the season, rating 15th in the nation in the 100 breast with a time of 57.24.

Freshman Eric Nilsson (Weston, Mass./Weston) earned the first rating of his career, entering the top-50 times in the 200 fly with a 1:53.14.

All five of Northwestern's relays are currently ranked in the nation's top 25, led by the 800 free in sixth-place with a time of 6:45.35.