Varsity is the free Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics, covering Badgers football, basketball, hockey and more each week.
Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/138069
WHAT'S NEXT? LOCAL MOTION A record-breaking pair of Madison natives made the short trip to UW and are now making short work of their competition at swimming's highest levels W BY MIKE LUCAS • UWBADGERS.COM isconsin's record-shattering swimming duo of Drew teDuits and Ivy Martin have been on the same wavelength ― riding the same wave, if you will ― since their formative years as competitors. "I've been swimming with him for probably 10 years and I knew he was very talented,'' said Martin, a junior from Madison East High School. "I know that we both have high goals and believe in ourselves.'' While Martin was only the second woman in Big Ten history to break the 22-second barrier in the 50-yard freestyle, teDuits became the first UW men's swimmer to win an individual NCAA title since 1959. On top of that, teDuits swam the third fastest 200-yard backstroke (1:38.27) in NCAA history. "I knew with a different mindset and different training (at the UW) he could make huge improvements,'' Martin said, "so I wasn't very surprised like maybe other people were.'' To bring context to their friendship, they first met when they were 9. Besides a Badger Aquatics link, they set new standards in the All-City meet as teammates on the Nakoma Swim Club. "Ivy has always been like one of my sisters,'' said teDuits, a junior from Edgewood High School in Madison. "She has been somebody I've grown up with, a friend that has always been there for me. "We always give each other a hard time. She's always makes fun of me for all the stupid things I do. I think if we would have gone to other schools, we would have still kept in touch.'' Competitively, do they share the same instincts? "I think that definitely would be fair to say,'' teDuits said. "We're both definitely very competitive and that's what makes us who we are.'' Wisconsin head coach Whitney Hite likes how Martin and teDuits carry themselves. "When I think of both of them,'' he said, "you're thinking All-American kids … these are good, home-grown kids.'' Just don't be fooled by their demeanor. "On the surface, it's Opie Taylor and kind of 'Gee, whiz, golly,''' Hite said. "But both work their butt off. They're perfect ambassadors for the program.'' What's next for Martin and teDuits? Both will get to measure their growth this year against the top swimmers in the country at USA Swimming's