Feb. 23, 2010
Northwestern's 2010 Big Ten Championships Notes (PDF Format) 
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern begins its first Big Ten Championship under new head coach Jarod Schroeder this week, Feb. 24-27, at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio.
The meet starts at 6 p.m. CT Wednesday, Feb. 24, with the 200 medley and 800 free relays before getting underway in earnest on Thursday morning. For a complete schedule, more information and live results, link to the Championships page at Ohiostatebuckeyes.com.
After spending the 2008-09 season as an assistant coach under 20-year Northwestern mentor Bob Groseth, Schroeder took over this year upon Groseth's retirement from the position. Schroeder and the current Wildcats have their sights set on continuing the tremendous success enjoyed by Groseth, whose teams won 30 Big Ten individual and relay championships from 2004-08.
The Wildcats enter Columbus with a 4-7 dual-meet record, though that is a deceiving number after NU lost three duals in the final event (a 7-4 to 4-7 swing). Northwestern has done a tremendous job this season winning individual races and scoring points where the team's strength's lie.
Junior Sean Mathews leads the sprint free and fly groups while classmate Alex Tyler brings NCAA `B' consideration times in both individual medley distances to this week's Big Ten meet. Both swimmers are members of all five of Northwestern's top relays on the year.
Leading the distance freestyle group is a youngster, freshman Charlie Rimkus. In his only attempt at the event this year, Rimkus achieved an NCAA `B' provisional qualifying time in the 1,650 free, while also earning one during the year in the 400 IM.
Youth is the theme throughout the Wildcats' team this year as they continue to build depth under Schroeder. In addition to Tyler, sophomore Nathan Butler has the ability to score at the Big Ten meet in the breaststroke events. The backstroke group is led by true freshman Varun Shivakumar, whose lanky 6-4 frame is perfect for the event.
Senior Kalister Harmon is the lone Wildcat on the diving boards this season. The transfer from LSU scored points as a true freshman in the 1-meter event at the SEC Championships. The meet will serve as a homecoming for Northwestern's only other senior on the squad, Chris Doman, who attended high school at St. Charles Prep.