Nov. 2, 2017
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State men's and women's swimming and diving teams face Big Ten competition for the first time this season at Minnesota, participating in a quad meet with the host Gophers, Michigan and Wisconsin Friday and Saturday in Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center.
The meet will be streamed live on BTN Plus Friday. Olympic gold medalist David Plummer and a Gopher swim and dive alum Ashley Steenvoorde will provide commentary.
The Penn State men, receiving two points in the latest TYR/CSCAA Division I poll, and will face No. 7 Michigan, a Minnesota team that received 19 points and Wisconsin, which received one point. The Penn State women will face No. 3 Michigan, No. 17 Minnesota and No. 18 Wisconsin. The meet will begin Friday at 7 p.m. ET, and continue Saturday at 11 a.m. ET.
Friday, Nov. 3 (6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. start)
200 Free Relay
200 IM
100 Back
500 Free
W- 1 Meter
M - 3 Meter
100 Free
200 Breast
200 Fly
400 Medley Relay
Saturday, Nov. 4 (10 a.m. CT/11 a.m. ET start)
200 Medley Relay
400 IM
50 Free
200 Back
W- 3 Meter
M - 1 Meter
200 Free
100 Breast
100 Fly
1000 Free
400 Free Relay
The Nittany Lions
The Penn State men (1-2) came up just short against then-No. 22 Virginia in their season opener, but earned their first dual meet win of the year over Duke when splitting a double dual at then-No. 5 NC State.
Penn State has been led by Kaelan Freund, the Big Ten Swimmer of the Week following the Virginia meet. Freund, a Canadian National Champion in both the 50-meter and 100-meter breaststroke over the summer, ranks seventh in the NCAA in the 100 breaststroke (54.20), 10th in the 200 breast (1:59.37) and 28th in the 200 IM (1:49.54) this season. On the boards, Hector Garcia-Boissier continues to lead. Garcia, and honorable mention All-America at the NCAA Championships last season, is Penn State's lone returner for the NCAA Championships. He also saw international success over the summer, competing for Spain with his brother in synchronized diving in the FINA World Championships and winning a national championship in Spain on the 3-meter board.
The Penn State women are 0-3, yet to face an unranked team this season. They have been without U.S. National Team member Ally McHugh so far, but she is slated to make the trip this weekend. McHugh won a silver medal in the 400m IM at the World University Games in August. McHugh's rise started during the 2016-17 season, as she set Penn State records in the mile and 400 IM, reaching the consolation finals in both at the NCAA Championships with her record mile swim earning her a 10th-place finish. She also won silver in the 400 IM at the Big Ten Championships. She is the team's lone returner to compete at the NCAA Championships.
Freshman Jane Donahue, the Big Ten Freshman of the Week following her debut has led the Penn State women in the first two meets. She ranks 26th in the NCAA in the 200 breaststroke.
The Series
All-time, the Penn State women are 4-11 against Michigan, 1-3-1 against Minnesota and 4-2 against Wisconsin. Penn State has faced Michigan the last two years, but is facing Minnesota for the first time since 1996-97 and Wisconsin since 2005-06. The men are 0-12 against Michigan, 0-2 against Minnesota and 2-0 against Wisconsin. Penn State has faced Michigan the last two years, but is facing Minnesota for the first time since 1994-95 and Wisconsin for the first time since 1995-96.
The Opposition
On the men's side, No. 7 Michigan is 2-0 with wins over Oakland and then-No. 7 Louisville and placed second in last-season's Big Ten Championships. Minnesota is 0-2 with losses to then-No. 20 Florida State and Iowa to open the season and is coming off a fourth-place finish at last season's Big Ten Championships, while Wisconsin is 0-4 with losses to then-No. 10 Auburn then-No. 18 Tennessee, then No. 8 Georgia and No. 6 NC State and placed fifth at last year's Big Tens.
On the women's side, No. 3 Michigan (first), No. 17 Minnesota (third) and No. 18 Wisconsin (fourth) comprise three of the top four finishers at last year's Big Ten Championships. This season, Michigan is 2-0 with wins over Oakland and then-No. 9 Louisville, Minnesota is 2-0 with wins over then-No. 23 Florida State and Iowa, and Wisconsin is 0-3 with losses to then-No. 15 Auburn, then-No. 14 Tennessee and No. 6 Georgia.
Check GoPSUSports.com for coverage of the Penn State swimming and diving teams during the season. Follow the team on Twitter at @PennStateSWIM and on Facebook at http://facebook.com/pennstateswimminganddiving.