Wisconsin Snaps Minnesota’s Undefeated Streak as Jacob Johnson Lowers Minnesota 200 Fly Record

Minnesota vs. Wisconsin

• November 1, 2024
• Madison, WI
• 25 Yards (SCY)
• Scores
  • Women: #13 Wisconsin, 201 – #23 Minnesota, 99
  • Men: NR Wisconsin, 158 – #21 Minnesota, 142
• Full Results

Men’s Meet

The men’s meet came down to the final relay, and Wisconsin took first and third to secure their win over the previously undefeated Golden Gophers. Minnesota held an early lead thanks to their strengths on the boards; sophomore YuTong Wang won both the 1-meter and 3-meter, leading a 1-2 finish with Andrew Bennett in the former.

But the Badgers struck back as soon as the swimming session started, winning the first four events in the pool. That included the 1000 freestyle (Yigit Aslan, 8:52.64), 200 medley relay (1:25.61), the 100 backstroke (Nathan Welker, 47.11), and the 200 freestyle, where Chris Morris and Luukas Vainio went 1-2.

Morris’ winning time of 1:33.65 is a new pool record and lifetime best, undercutting the 1:33.77 he swam at 2024 Big Tens. He also won the 100 freestyle, beating Kaiser Neverman 43.16 to 43.29.

Neverman snapped the win streak with a win in the 100 breaststroke, clocking 53.39 to edge ahead of teammate Joe Rudd (53.50). Freshman Jacob Johnson provided even more momentum for Minnesota in the next event, as he broke his 200 butterfly school record for the second time this season.

Johnson first took over the standard at Minnesota’s Oct. 11 dual against Army with a 1:42.41. He cut .71 seconds off that mark with his 1:41.70 performance in Madison. The swim is also a new lifetime best for Johnson, the #7 recruit in his high school class, breaking his previous best of 1:42.29, set before he arrived on campus. He added another win later, posting 46.18 in the 100 fly for the stroke sweep.

Wisconsin returned to the win column in definitive fashion, sweeping the top three places in the 50 freestyle, with Taiko Torepe-Ormsby winning in 19.49.

Dominik Mark Torok’s 200 breaststroke win (1:55.51) ahead of a Minnesota 2-3 finish was the Badgers last event win until the final relay as Minnesota went on a run of its own. In addition to Johnson’s 100 fly win, Bar Soloveychik claimed the 500 free (4:17.80). Neverman won a tight race in the 200 IM with a 1:44.45, holding off Torok (1:44.56) and Morris (1:44.78).

Vainio (43.82), Ben Wiegand (43.57), Torepe-Ormsby (42.88), and Nico Butera (43.81) clinched the victory for the Badgers by winning the 400 freestyle relay in 2:54.08. The Badgers move to 2-1 on the season, while Minnesota is now 4-1.

Women’s Meet

The Badgers dominated the women’s meet, winning all 14 events in the pool. Five athletes won two events each—sophomore Hailey Tierney swept the sprint freestyle events, turning in season-bests of 22.05/48.59. Three women were sub-49 seconds in the 100 freestyle, as Tierney held off Minnesota freshman Livi Wanner (48.75) and teammate Abby Carlson (48.92).

Freshman Maggie Wanezek, junior Hazal Ozkan, and senior Mackenzie McConagha swept the strokes for the Badgers. Wanezek won the backstrokes, first slicing a hundredth off her lifetime best to win the 100 in 50.96. She’s the fourth woman to break 51 seconds in yards this season. Wanezek doubled up by winning the 200 back in 1:51.75, 1.30 seconds ahead of her teammate, two-time Olympian Phoebe Bacon. This was Bacon’s only individual swim of the meet as she scratched the 100 backstroke.

Ozkan controlled the breaststrokes, leading a 1-2-3-4 finish in the 100 breast for the Badgers with a 1:00.28. She then won the 200 breast in 2:10.02. Finally, McConagha won both the 100/200 butterfly, clocking 52.90/1:56.63.

Abby Carlson, Paige McKenna, and Maddie Waggoner took care of the longer freestyle events. Carlson won the 200 free (1:44.70), McKenna the 500 free (4:43.33), and Waggoner the 1000 free (9:35.48).

The highlight of Minnesota’s day came on the diving boards, where junior Viviana Del Angel earned a sweep of her own. She won the 1-meter board with 299.03 points and the 3-meter with 313.80. The Minnesota women are now 5-1 on the season, while the Badgers are 2-0.

Up Next

The Minnesota women host Iowa next Friday and the men are off from competition until the Minnesota Invitational from Dec. 4-7. The Badgers split up as well; the diving squad and the men’s team head to the Georgia Invite from Nov. 20-23, while the women’s team heads to the Texas Invite from Nov. 20-21.