Just days after the women’s team set numerous records at the Big Ten Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships, Iowa men’s swimming and diving is ready for its turn to compete against the conference’s best. The Hawkeyes will travel to Bloomington, Indiana, for the Big Ten Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships this week.

“Watching the girls race this past week was very motivational,” senior Joe Myhre said. “They put it together and improved which made me excited for this week.”

The Big Ten Swimming and Diving Championships provide the final opportunity to qualify for the NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships, and the Hawkeyes are looking forward to the challenge.

“Personally, I’d like to take as many people to NCAAs as I can, whether that’s helping on the relay teams or just cheering them on from the sidelines,” senior Will Scott said. “We’d like to have a good presence there this year, and I think a few of our relays have a good chance.”

Last year, graduated senior Will Brenner and current junior Anton Hoherz were the only Hawkeyes to qualify for the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas.

One swimmer that has a good shot at making the NCAA Championships as an individual this year is sophomore Aleksey Tarasenko. He has the 31st fastest 100-free time in the nation this season and is looking to improve on that number this week.

The 42.85-second time is the second-best in Iowa history and is only .014 seconds behind Jack Smith’s record time set back in 2018.

“I’m [31^st] currently in the 100-free, nationally, according to [CollegeSwimming.com], so hopefully I can break into the top-five in the Big Ten, be in the finals, and fight for a medal,” Tarasenko said.

Tarasenko’s time is currently good for fourth among Big Ten swimmers this year and is .41 behind Indiana junior Bruno Blaskovic, the conference leader.

RELATED: Iowa women’s swimming and diving breaks records at Big Ten Championships

The last time the Hawkeyes traveled to Indiana’s Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center, they had a swim to forget. Both Indiana and Michigan — both currently ranked in the top 10 in the country — topped Iowa on Nov. 7. The Wolverines sit at sixth in the CollegeSwimming.com rankings, while the Hoosiers are in the ninth spot.

“We are much more prepared to swim there,” Tarasenko said. “The first time we went there we had just begun our intense training, and we were not trained enough to compete against Michigan and Indiana. It was our first draft, but now we’re finalized and ready.”

Iowa is currently the third-best team in the Big Ten according to CollegeSwimming.com, behind only Michigan and Indiana. The Hawkeyes are ranked 27th nationally.

Indiana has dominated the Big Ten Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships of late. The Hoosiers have won the past three conference titles and haven’t lost a home dual meet since Feb. 8, 2013.

Wednesday’s events will include the 200-medley relay and the 800-free relay. The session will begin at 5 p.m. Tournament play will continue throughout the week and conclude on Feb. 29.