Jan. 3, 2007
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern kicks off its winter quarter competition schedule at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, when it hosts No. 16 Tennessee in a dual meet at the Norris Aquatics Center. The meet will be split into two sessions, with the evening events beginning at 5 p.m.
The 5 p.m. start time for the evening session is a change from the originally scheduled 6 p.m. start.
The Wildcats began their season by facing three ranked opponents -- including No. 1 California in the first meet of the year -- and a fourth that had been ranked in the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) preseason poll.
Northwestern picked up its first dual-meet win of the year during its training trip to Hawaii over winter break, getting NCAA 'B' cuts from freshmen Emily Wong (Nepean, Ontario/St. Joseph's) and Jenn Kocsis (Omaha, Neb./Marian) -- impressive feats considering the grueling training work the team put in prior to the meet.
Showcasing its much-improved depth during the fall-quarter portion of the schedule, Northwestern has earned NCAA provisional cut times in nine different events, including all of the freestyle swims.
Junior Andrea Hupman (Lawrenceville, Ga./Brookwood) has 'B' cuts in the 50, 100 and 200 frees, while Wong also has 'B' times in those events. Distance freestyle freshman Kassia Shishkoff (Raleigh, N.C./St. David's School) has three 'B' efforts of her own, earning them in the 500 free, 1650 free and the 400 IM.
Recording single 'B' cuts on the year so far for NU have been freshman Genny Szymanski (Haines, Alaska/Haines) in the 200 back, junior Jessie Bailis (Omaha, Neb./Millard North) in the 100 breast, freshman Rachel Rys (Goleta, Calif./Dos Pueblos) in the 200 fly and Kocsis in the 500 free.