Illinois’s swimmers have one meet left before next week’s Big Ten Quad and the Big Ten Championships that follow. So the Illini are taking this weekend’s trip to Iowa very seriously.

“It’s going to be a battle between three very good teams that have some very good swimmers,” Illinois swimming and diving head coach Sue Novitsky said. “Everybody’s definitely going to have to bring their very best game if they want to come out victorious as a team.”

Illinois competes against Iowa and Missouri in Iowa City this weekend. The meet will give head coach Sue Novitsky one last look at her team before the approach of the most important chunk of the season.

With bouts of mono and reoccurring injuries nagging the team in recent weeks, Novitsky hopes everything comes together against Iowa.

“We’re just fine tuning,” Novitsky said. “Great communication is so important between the coaches and the athletes right now that we’re getting honest feedback about how they’re actually doing and that we’re watching how they’re doing in the pool and making sure they’re where we want them to be.”

The Illini will likely see more improvement from their 10 freshmen, who have been recording career-best times throughout the season. They’ll also likely get good scores from sophomores Meghan Bradley and Mallory Craft, juniors Meghan Farrell and Barbie Viney, and senior Kathryn Easey.

“We’re going out there to win,” Viney said. “We’re going out to make a statement that we’ve had our fair share of injuries and sickness this season, but that we’re going to go out there and do our best. If we go out there and get excited we’re going to surprise Iowa and the Big Ten.”

For Illinois’s divers, the meet is another step in what has turned into a rocky road this season. Sophomore Abbey Bernardo is sidelined with a back injury, freshman Marina Mendoza has worked to adjust to the Big Ten and junior Jackie Bain struggled with a few disappointing performances. But diving coach Billy McGowan said his athletes are ready to tackle the tough competition they’ll see at Iowa.

“We’re excited to go to Iowa, it’ll be a fun meet,” Bain said. “The swimming will be very competitive.”