Individual titles this weekend for Illini swimmers and divers might be unlikely as they head to Madison, Wis., for the Big Ten Quad Meet. So the team will be looking to competition against No. 13 Minnesota, Purdue and Wisconsin to help its endgame.

“Our entire goal is to look toward Big Tens, so we don’t back off (in practice) for dual meets,” head coach Sue Novitsky said. “If we’re tired, we’re tired.”

The Illini’s record speaks to Novitsky’s methods, but she said she is confident it will pay off when the Big Ten Championship meet arrives Feb. 20 in Minneapolis.

“A lot of our times were faster (last week) than we swam in the previous week,” Novitsky said. “I look at, again, getting them ready to peak at Big Tens. We’re looking a little slower now, but we’re putting those pieces together. That’s a step in the right direction.”

Senior Darragh McDermott agreed with Novitsky, hoping for the experience from the dual meets rather than recorded wins.

“When it comes down to it, our dual meet record doesn’t matter,” McDermott said. “It only matters how we finish in the Big Ten meet.”

Novitsky said she considers this weekend “great” for her swimmers because it will give them the opportunity to fight hard against teams that feature more talent than the Illini.

“They can compete with a lot of (the other teams’) kids and its having that belief and having that confidence to get into those races and mix it up a little bit,” Novitsky said. “I want to mix it up and not just have that forward on conclusion of what it’s going to be.”

The Big Tens begin in less than three weeks, when Novitsky can truly showcase her strategy, but if the past proceeds itself, the Illini may be in for another year of finishing near the bottom of the conference.

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