Wisconsin Overpowers Minnesota in B1G Brawl; McHugh Hits Nation-Leading 100 BR

MINNESOTA V. WISCONSIN

• Friday, November 8th
• Minneapolis, MN
• SCY
• Final Results

WOMEN’S MEET

• Wisconsin 155, Minnesota 145

This meet came down to the wire, with Beata Nelson excelling to help lift the Badgers to the win. This is the fourth-straight win over the Gophers for Wisconsin, but all four meets have been decided by a difference of under 17 points.

Nelson, who was left off the 200 medley relay, took all three of her individual events. In the 100 back, she blasted a 51.31, the #1 time in the country. She’s still the only swimmer under 52 seconds so far this season. In the 200 back, Nelson posted a 1:53.65, off of her nation-leading 1:52.49 from October. Finally, she raced to the win in the 100 fly with a time of 52.38, winning by almost two seconds.

Megan Doty was very strong for the Badgers, first taking the 200 free in 1:47.55 to hit a lifetime best. Her events got arguably more difficult, as she won the 200 fly (2:00.82) and finished things out on top in the 400 IM (4:19.16). Madison Waechter also won two, sweeping the distance events with a 9:55.99 in the 1000 and a 4:52.94 in the 500.

Minnesota was led by breaststroker Lindsey Kozelsky, who dropped a 59.77 in the 100 breast and a 2:12.36 in the 200 breast, leading a 1-2 with freshman Grace Bennin (2:16.40). Kozelsky was also very quick on the medley relay, splitting a 27.04 breaststroke. Freshman Maggie Summit won the 50 free (23.37) by a hundredth over Badger Lillie Hosack (23.38), and she was 23.19 anchoring Minnesota’s winning 200 medley relay (1:39.84).

Going into the 200 free relay, Wisconsin held a very slim lead, 144 to 139. If the Gophers won the relay, even if the Badgers took second and third, the meet would end in a tie, 150 – 150. The Gophers would clinch a win with a 1-3 finish, and their A led going into the anchor legs with their B in third, which was the ideal position. But, Nelson had other ideas, diving in for Wisconsin’s A to blow by Minnesota with a 21.84 anchor leg to clinch the meet at 1:32.10 over Minnesota’s 1:32.73.

MEN’S MEET

• Wisconsin 177, Minnesota 123

Wisconsin had an easier time downing Minnesota on the men’s side, but the big swim of the day was probably Max McHugh of the Gophers.

McHugh, who was hit in the right thigh by a stray bullet over the summer, is back with a vengeance. In his second meet back since that, he blasted a 52.59 to win the 100 breast and then a 1:56.41 to take the 200. In the 100, he shoots up to the #1 time in the country, and his 200 breast time moves him to #3. He also split a 23.75 on Minnesota’s 200 medley relay (1:28.30), where the placed second to Wisconsin’s 1:27.88.

Wisconsin had a 22.05 back lead-off on that medley from Matt Novinski, while Griffin Back dropped a 19.61 anchor. Novinski would go on to win the 100 back in 47.97, and Back swept the sprint free events, going 20.31 in the 50 and 44.46.

The Badgers had two more double winners in Cam Tysoe and Michael Milinovich. Tysoe won two 200s, going 1:38.43 in the 200 free to edge Minnesota’s Tim Sates (1:38.53) and teammate Niko Stines (1:38.78). In the 200 back, Tysoe clocked a 1:46.49 to win by almost four seconds. Milinovich, meanwhile, only swam two individual races and won them both. He was 1:48.95 in the 200 fly and then 3:58.54 to win the 400 IM.

Minnesota was strong in the distance events, with Cameron Kelley going 1-3 in the 1000 free with Aidan Dillon (they were 9:16.06 and 9:30.41, respectively), and Kelley was back to win the 500 in the only sub-4:30 performance in the race (4:27.73).

Wisconsin closed the meet with a win in the 200 free relay, while sophomore transfer Tazman Abramowicz broke the Wisconsin school record with his win in 3-meter (398.03).