Northwestern University Athletics
Friday, October 14
Evanston, Ill.
4 p.m.
Northwestern
vs
Eastern Michigan
A More Experienced Northwestern Team Set to Open 2016-17 Season
10/13/2016 8:46:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving
EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern men's swimming and diving team will open its 2016-17 season on Friday, Oct. 14 against Eastern Michigan at the Norris Aquatics Center. The dual meet action begins at 4 p.m. CT.
"We open the season here in Evanston with a strong opponent in Eastern Michigan, then go on the road for four weeks straight before coming back home for our mid-season TYR Invite, said head coach Jarod Schroeder." "We'll know a lot more about what type of team we have in a couple of weeks."
Northwestern brings back a much more experienced team than it had a year ago. The Wildcats had 11 freshmen on the roster last season and only lost a pair to graduation.
"The biggest difference between this year and last year is the maturity level our team, said Schroeder. "Last year we had 11 newcomers, and it took a few meets to realize what it takes to compete and be successful at this level. Our freshmen class really took a big step forward last year, so as sophomores they are much better prepared for this season.
"We want to build off of the momentum from the last half of the year last year as we start this season. We also welcome back, arguably one of the best distance swimmers in the world in Jordan Wilimovsky. His leadership in the pool, in practice and in meets is going to raise the bar for his teammates."
Wilimovksy made history this summer after becoming the first American to swim in both pool and open water events at the 2016 Olympic Games. He finished fourth in the 1,500-meter freestyle and fifth in the 10K open water marathon.
On the diving boards last season, Cramer traveled to the NCAA championships and competed in the 3-meter and platform diving competitions.He was the first Wildcat to compete at the NCAA Championships in the modern era.
The 'Cats travel to University of Chicago on Oct. 22 to face the Maroons, UIC, and Olivet Nazarene in a series of dual meets. The team then makes an East Coast swing to North Carolina the next weekend to face North Carolina State in Raleigh on Oct. 28 and Duke in Durham on Oct. 29.
Northwestern makes a trip to Lexington, Ky. From Nov. 4-5, for a quad-dual meet against Southern Illinois, Missouri, and Kentucky. In 2014, the last time the quad-dual meet between the schools was held in Kentucky, the 'Cats went 2-1behind a first place finish from Wilimovsky in the 1,000 free.
After a Big Ten vs. USA Swimming event in Indianapolis on Nov. 12-13, the Wildcats host the three-day TYR Invite in Evanston, with five other teams in attendance. Andrew Cramer has won the platform diving title three years in a row at the event and finished first in the 3-meter event the last two years.
Northwestern closes out 2016 with the USA Swimming Winter Nationals in Atlanta, Ga., from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3, and the CAMO Diving Invitational in Montreal, Canada from Dec. 10-11.
The 'Cats wrap up their regular season schedule with four dual meets in January, starting with a home meet against Notre Dame on Jan. 14. They travel to Iowa to face the Hawkeyes on Jan. 21, before taking on Purdue and Minnesota in a tri-dual meet in West Lafayette, Ind. on Jan. 27-28.
The postseason kicks off in Columbus, Ohio on Feb. 22 for the four-day long Big Ten Championships. Any Wildcats who qualify for the NCAA championships will travel to Indianpolis, Ind., for a four-day event from March 22-25.
"We open the season here in Evanston with a strong opponent in Eastern Michigan, then go on the road for four weeks straight before coming back home for our mid-season TYR Invite, said head coach Jarod Schroeder." "We'll know a lot more about what type of team we have in a couple of weeks."
Northwestern brings back a much more experienced team than it had a year ago. The Wildcats had 11 freshmen on the roster last season and only lost a pair to graduation.
"The biggest difference between this year and last year is the maturity level our team, said Schroeder. "Last year we had 11 newcomers, and it took a few meets to realize what it takes to compete and be successful at this level. Our freshmen class really took a big step forward last year, so as sophomores they are much better prepared for this season.
"We want to build off of the momentum from the last half of the year last year as we start this season. We also welcome back, arguably one of the best distance swimmers in the world in Jordan Wilimovsky. His leadership in the pool, in practice and in meets is going to raise the bar for his teammates."
Wilimovksy made history this summer after becoming the first American to swim in both pool and open water events at the 2016 Olympic Games. He finished fourth in the 1,500-meter freestyle and fifth in the 10K open water marathon.
On the diving boards last season, Cramer traveled to the NCAA championships and competed in the 3-meter and platform diving competitions.He was the first Wildcat to compete at the NCAA Championships in the modern era.
The 'Cats travel to University of Chicago on Oct. 22 to face the Maroons, UIC, and Olivet Nazarene in a series of dual meets. The team then makes an East Coast swing to North Carolina the next weekend to face North Carolina State in Raleigh on Oct. 28 and Duke in Durham on Oct. 29.
Northwestern makes a trip to Lexington, Ky. From Nov. 4-5, for a quad-dual meet against Southern Illinois, Missouri, and Kentucky. In 2014, the last time the quad-dual meet between the schools was held in Kentucky, the 'Cats went 2-1behind a first place finish from Wilimovsky in the 1,000 free.
After a Big Ten vs. USA Swimming event in Indianapolis on Nov. 12-13, the Wildcats host the three-day TYR Invite in Evanston, with five other teams in attendance. Andrew Cramer has won the platform diving title three years in a row at the event and finished first in the 3-meter event the last two years.
Northwestern closes out 2016 with the USA Swimming Winter Nationals in Atlanta, Ga., from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3, and the CAMO Diving Invitational in Montreal, Canada from Dec. 10-11.
The 'Cats wrap up their regular season schedule with four dual meets in January, starting with a home meet against Notre Dame on Jan. 14. They travel to Iowa to face the Hawkeyes on Jan. 21, before taking on Purdue and Minnesota in a tri-dual meet in West Lafayette, Ind. on Jan. 27-28.
The postseason kicks off in Columbus, Ohio on Feb. 22 for the four-day long Big Ten Championships. Any Wildcats who qualify for the NCAA championships will travel to Indianpolis, Ind., for a four-day event from March 22-25.
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