APPLETON, Wis. — Hayley Cardinal is a champion swimmer with the mentality of a middle linebacker.
The Lawrence University swimming star heads into this weekend’s Midwest Conference Championships at Grinnell College a little banged up and loving it.
“I tend to do well when I’m kind of beat up so I literally started my taper (Tuesday),” said Cardinal, a senior from Lombard, Ill. “I’m not nervous. I’m trying to trust the taper.”
Cardinal, the 2014 MWC champion in the 100-yard breaststroke, already owns the top times in the Midwest Conference in the 100 and 200 breaststroke and 200 individual medley. Most swimmers would ease off the gas pedal earlier in order to go really fast at the end of a season.
“It’s going to be new, but I think it’s going to be good,” said Cardinal, and she has the evidence to prove it.
Cardinal did an abbreviated taper in December 2014 because her season was coming to an end as she went to study abroad. In her final meet that season at UW-Oshkosh, she broke three school records and posted two NCAA “B” cuts. She set school marks in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.44), 200 breaststroke (2:21.82) and 200 IM (21:12.50).
“I honestly didn’t believe the times I had at the Oshkosh meet. They were faster than I ever dreamed of going,” said Cardinal, who was named the conference’s Swimmer of the Week four times this season.
“It shows how good a coach Drew (Fleek) has been. To drop that kind of time in that kind of event is amazing. I’m more than happy with how my swimming has gone and thankful that I have such a good team to train with.”
While Cardinal has the dream of winning multiple conference titles and perhaps qualifying for the NCAA Division III Championships, she will get plenty of support as the Vikings look to improve on last season’s fourth-place finish.
The Vikings have top swimmers near the top of the conference in multiple events.
Lizzy Garcia Creighton paces the Vikings in the freestyle sprints, and Emei Thompson stretches from the 200 to 500 freestyle. Junior Paige Witter is among the league’s best in the 500 freestyle and the 100 and 200 butterfly. Cardinal is flanked by teammate Emmi Zheng in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, and Emily Flack is a contender in the 100 and 200 backstroke.
“I think Hayley is certainly capable of competing for several individual titles as well as breaking her own school records in the 100 and 200 breaststroke and the 200 IM,” Lawrence coach Drew Fleek said. “As a team, I think if we swim the way we all know we’re capable of, we can finish in the top three.”
The Vikings have a limited men’s roster, but Lawrence is looking to improve on last season’s eighth-place finish.
“I also think the men’s team will have some very competitive relays and I expect Travis Charlow, Christian Bell, Max Stahl, Kaleb Cooperman and Jordan Spalding to have some outstanding swims,” Fleek said.