Editor’s note: This article is a part of The Daily Illini’s Semester in Review issue. Regular publication will resume Friday, Jan. 11.

Finishing in the bottom of the Big Ten last year, the Illinois swimming and diving team returned for the 2012-13 season with new recruits but not much progress.

In their first meet of the season, the Illini faced off against the Wildcats and were defeated 169-131. While head coach Sue Novitsky said she had some good swims out of her swimmers, the results did not seem to back her up.

Illinois’ first win came the following week against Michigan State in a meet that came down to the wire, 153-147.

In the meet, sophomore Alison Meng returned from a suspension to break the ARC pool record in the 100 back (56.26 seconds). In addition, she participated in a record-breaking final relay victory, winning the meet for the Illini.

Illinois’ 1-1 team hit the road for the first time of the season to match up against Illinois State, a team it had defeated in every dual meet since Novitsky took over as head coach in 2000.

Novitsky said she intentionally left behind some of her seasoned swimmers to give some of the new recruits a chance to gain experience under pressure. She was confident that her underclassmen could handle the competition, but her strategy was unrewarded, as the Illini lost.

Senior Kathleen Knight broke the Horton pool record in the 100 fly (57.05), joined again by Meng’s record times in the 50 and 100 free, 56.80 and 26.90, respectively. Still, records could not keep away the chilling similarities of last year’s lackluster at the Big Ten competition.

The dual meet season had halted until January, but that left a few more competitions for the Illini, including the three-day TYR Invitational hosted by Northwestern.

Last year, Illinois had come in second place, losing only to Northwestern, and this year turned out to be no different. Illinois’ second place finish came in a six-team meet opposed to eight from the year prior.

Again, Meng came away with record swims, this time setting school records in the 50 back and 50 fly with respective times of 25.61 and 25.23; however, after holding a lead against Northwestern for the first two days and faltered in the finale.

Novitsky said she was disappointed about sharpness and detail work of the swimmers in the invitational, but how she will turn the tide in practice remains to be seen.

Concluding the year, eight Illini traveled to the AT&T Winter National Championships in Austin, Texas.

Qualifying swimmers included senior Erin Rodriguez (200 fly), juniors Jessica Holz (100 and 200 back) and Courtney Pope (50 and 100 free), sophomore Meng (100 back) and freshmen Lor Lynn (100 fly), Isabella Schamber (200 breast), Hollie Smith (100 breast) and Sarah Sykstus (100 fly and 200 IM).

No placing results were produced at nationals, though assistant head coach Steve Farnau said swimmers produced season-best times across the board.

Illinois sits at 1-2, having been the runner-up in their only invitational of the season. Three dual meets will greet them when they return to competition on Jan. 18, giving them the chance to break even or produce a winning season record; however, the Big Ten competition, which Novitsky said she is always working toward, is where this season will have to set itself apart from defeated ghosts of past seasons.

J.J. can be reached at [email protected].