The Wisconsin swimming and diving teams opened the 2022-23 season with wins at Arizona on Friday afternoon. The 16th-ranked women’s team defeated the Wildcats 165.5 – 135.5 while the 20th-ranked men’s team won 164-134.
Men’s meet
Wisconsin swimming junior Jake Newmark was a four-time event winner for the men. The reigning Big Ten Conference champion in the 500 free kicked off his season with a win in his signature event, touching the wall in 4 minutes, 32. 68 seconds. He also took the 1000 free in 9:17.09, the 200 back in 1:47.99 and was a member of the winning 400-free relay. Newmark teamed with Andrew Benson, Newmark, Ben Wiegand, and Isaac Casey-Hrenakto win in 2:56.07.
Wiegand also won the 50 free in 20.06, edging Benson by one hundredth of second. Benson got his revenge in the 100 free, touching in 43.92 while Wiegand was fourth in 45. 26. Senior Wes Jekel claimed the 100 back in 48.30 while also finishing second in the 200 back in 1:48.33, less than half of a second behind Newmark. Freshman Cooper Scharff completed a 1-2-3 sweep in the 200 back, finishing third in 1:50.06.
Jekel, Benson, Wiegand and Will Myrhe kicked off the meet with a win in the 200-medley relay, combining for a 1:27.14 clocking.
Freshman Dominik Torok kicked off his collegiate career with a victory in the 200 IM in 1:49.35.
Arizona’s Ralph Daleiden won the 200 freestyle in 1:38.21, going 1-2 with Hunter Ingram (1:38.52). Daniel Young won the 100 breaststroke in 54.79.
Jake Hand won the 200 breaststroke (1:59.04). Haakon Naughton won the 100 butterfly (48.86).
In diving, Bjorn Markentin won 1-meter with 358.58 points. He also claimed 3-meter with a score of 355.80.
Women’s meet
For the Wisconsin swimming women, junior Phoebe Bacon was a triple-event winner. She kicked off her season with a win in the 200 free in 1:49.22 and in the 100 fly in 54.11. Bacon was also a member of the winning 400-free relay, teaming with Abby Wanezek, Abby Carlson and Blair Stoneburg to touch in 3:21.10.
Wisconsin swept the top-three places in the 1000 free as freshman Stoneburg touched in 10:04.25 for the win. Alivia Lindorfer finished second in 10:20.80 and Emily Ecker took third in 10:21.23.
In the breaststroke, senior Elizabeth Moore kicked to a 2:13.91 win while sophomore Katie McClintock finished second in 2:18.59. In the IM, McClintock claimed the win in 2:02.81.
Wisconsin swimming also claimed the top-two spots in the 100 back as sophomore Mackenzie McConagha won in 54.70 and freshman Wanezek too second in 55.99. Wanezek also won the 100 free in 50.42.
For the Arizona women, Paige Armstrong, Kennedy Fisher, Julia Heimstead and Alyssa Schwengel won the 200 medley relay in 1:40.22.
Fisher won the 100 breaststroke (1:02.41). Heimstead won the 200 butterfly (1:59.02) and 100 butterfly (53.90). Riley Bottom won the 50 freestyle in 23.41 ahead of Schwengel (23.42).
In diving, Delaney Schnell won the 1-meter board with a score of 303.60, leading a 1-2-3 finish. Schnell also won 3-meter (377.85), leading a 1-2-3-4 sweep for the Wildcats.