While the Arizona swim and dive teams lost valuable members from their championship roster, both the men’s and women’s squads showed they are gleaming with young talent.

The men’s team won 173-126 while the women scored 179-120 in the season-opener against Wisconsin at Hillenbrand Aquatic Center on Friday afternoon.

Arizona took first place in 21 of 32 events, showing the fans how good they are at such an early point in the season.

Though the team appeared impressive, UA swimming head coach Frank Busch said he would like to see better execution.

“”We’ve got to get a little sharper and get a little more focused on racing,”” Busch said. “”We’ve got a ways to go.””

Showing off her firepower, Wildcat senior Anna Turner anchored the women in the 200-yard medley relay to begin the meet, an event the Arizona A team won by a 1.4-second margin over the Arizona B team. After the men won their 200y medley relay in 1:32.19, some newcomers threw themselves into the pool and into their collegiate careers.

Arizona freshman Nimrod Shapira Bar-Or won the 200y freestyle in 1:41.56 and later placed third in the 500y freestyle. Shapira Bar-Or of Israel is no ordinary freshman, as he competed in the 100y and 200y freestyles of the Beijing Olympics.

He said swimming for a team is much different than swimming for himself.

“”When I’m on the block, I’m really proud of racing on this team,”” Shapira Bar-Or said. “”All this stuff (in the improved aquatic center), this place, this team, is amazing. It’s the reason why I came here, and I can’t ask for something better.””

The women’s roster also has some talented freshmen. Alyssa Anderson grabbed first place in the 1,000y freestyle with a time of 9:56.12, a full nine seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.

Later in the meet, Anderson beat teammate Julie Stupp in the 200y butterfly with a time of 1:59.98.

Of her role on the team this year, Anderson said she and the other freshman need to “”step it up.”” In order to do just that, Anderson is looking to improve various parts of her technique.

“”For me, personally, it’s a lot of technical stuff, like, I’m not very good at walls and turns, and in college swimming that’s huge,”” Anderson said.

Although the freshman showed well, Busch said the freshmen have much to learn.

“”It’s a pretty big jump from high school to this,”” Busch said. “”It’s not real common that freshmen step in and make a huge impact; it doesn’t happen very often.””

While the freshmen swimmers have the luxury of learning from their elders, the freshmen divers are pushed into the water. With only 10 total divers, every member is counted upon to perform well.

The Arizona dive teams were led by sophomore Ben Grado on the men’s side and freshman Ainsley Oliver for the women.

Grado won the 1-meter springboard event with a score of 373.8 and the 3-meter event with a 50-point advantage over the second-place finisher. Oliver placed third in both the 1m and 3m for the women’s team.

The swim and dive teams next take to the water against USC on Nov. 14.