After a six-week layoff since dual meet competition, the Eastern men’s and women’s swim teams will be back in action Friday as the Panthers host Millikin University at the Lantz Natatorium.

The Panther men (5-2) last swam competitively against Butler University Dec. 6, and turned in one of their finest meets of the year with a 117-86 victory over the Bulldogs. According to Panther head coach Ray Padovan, the Panthers should enjoy another successful outing against the Decatur based Millikin Big Blue.

“We should have some good swims, and it should be a good meet for us,” Padovan said. “Millikin is very talented, but from a numbers standpoint we have more depth and that should translate into the win/loss perspective.”

The Panthers will bring three swimmers currently at the top of their game into the meet.

Senior freestyler Rich Wahlgren has won four individual events over the last two meets against Saint Louis and Butler.

In late November, against the Billikins, Wahlgren was victorious in the 200 freestyle and followed that win with another in the 100 freestyle. Two weeks later, against Butler, Wahlgren led the way with a win in the shorter 50 freestyle and later finished first in the 500 freestyle.

Freshman Bill Senese continued his incredible first year for the Panthers with a win in the 50 free and a second-place finish in the 100 Backstroke against Saint Louis and a victory in the 200 freestyle versus Butler. Junior Tom Watson chipped in with a victory in the 500 free at Saint Louis.

While the Big Blue’s 13 man roster does fail in comparison to the Panthers 25 man squad, Millikin isn’t without their own set of stars.

Leading the charge for Millikin is junior Tom Sur. A two-time All-American, Sur placed third nationally in the 100 breaststroke at the NCAA meet with a Big Blue record time of 56.70. He also placed sixth in the 200 breaststroke (2:05.39) at the same meet .

Paul Yemm is another swimmer who could cause fits for the Panthers. Yemm was an NCAA qualifier last season and competed in the 200 individual medley and the 100 and 200 butterfly.

While the men haven’t competed in a dual meet recently, the Panthers have stayed busy. Over the Christmas break many of the Eastern swimmers traveled to Florida for the Ft. Lauderdale Swim Forum from Dec. 28 through Jan. 9. As Padovan described it the “business trip” was a success.

“It was excellent because the weather cooperated for us,” Padovan said. “All of the pools are outdoors so it was important that the weather held up. We got a lot accomplished with the main reason to spend time training.”

Because the Panthers stayed fresh at the Ft. Lauderdale Swim Forum Padovan is not expecting any rust heading into the Millikin meet.

“I’m not worried because we’re coming off the training trip and we’ve looked good in practice,” Padovan said. “We’re prepared and we stayed in the water over break. We’re looking good.”

The women (2-5) will enter the Friday swim with a good chance to increase their winning streak to two meets. The women defeated Butler 123-91 last time out and again due to depth Padovan believes the women should be victorious against Millikin.

Despite heading into the meet as favorites, Padovan didn’t say he was looking at this meet to turn the women’s season around.

“It’s mostly just a time to swim and keep swimming,” Padovan said. “We have good talent on the women’s time and only four meets and three weeks to get everyone ready for conference.”

The season ending Midwest Classic Championship meet is just over a month away. The swim versus Millikin will be a good chance for certain swimmers to solidify their spot on the roster and others to make impressions.

“This is a meet to straighten your spot on the team cause I have to make a couple decisions in certain positions,” Padovan said. “I also need to know where to swim certain people in which events come conference.”

The meet will begin at 6 p.m. The Panthers have only one more remaining home meet on the season and that will take place Feb. 7, against rival Saint Louis.