Head coach Anne Marie Stricklin knows the importance of non-conference meets. She also knows the importance of getting to swim against top-quality competition.

This weekend the NIU swim teams get a taste of both when the teams head their separate ways on Friday.

The men’s team will head to the University of Illinois for the Fall Illini Classic while the women head to Pullman, Washington for a meet with Washington State and Central Washington.

“We’ll get an early idea about our conference line-up this weekend with the men and they’ll get a chance to swim against some quality competition in a big-meet atmosphere,” Stricklin said. “Going out to Washington State is going to be a great experience for the women with a chance to improve on our times against one of the top teams in the country.”

The men’s team will look to improve on a strong meet last weekend at Miami, Ohio. The team will welcome back co-captain Leon Weed, who sat out the last meet with back spasms.

Senior Andras Schonek will look to improve on his two first place finishes last weekend in Miami. Schonek took home two first place finishes including a three-second win over defending Mid-American Conference champion John Carroll in the 500 freestyle.

The men’s side also got a breakout performance from Martin Lundgren and a key win from Dario Fuentes.

Lundgren won both the 200-yard butterfly and the 200-yard breaststroke while Fuentes won the 50- and 100-yard freestyle.

On the diving board, Pat Collins won the one-meter event, while St. Charles native Tony Marinaccio took home first place in the three-meter version.

The women’s event will be full of emotion as two Huskies will return to their roots in Washington.

Andree Dallain will return to her home state for the first time as a collegiate swimmer and Katie Leidel will return to the school where she spent the first year and a half of her college career.

The duo should have plenty of momentum after stellar meets last weekend in Ohio.

Leidel took home first place finishes in the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke, and the 200 individual medley. Dallain clocked a career best time of 17:54:90 in the 1,650-yard freestyle and was a member of the 400-yard freestyle relay that took home first place.